Inflammatory pseudotumor of the hypopharynx: clinical diagnosis, immunohistochemical findings and treatment of this rare disease.

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare benign lesion, often imitating a malignant disease. An IPT was found in the sinus piriformis of a 40-year-old male who suffered from dysphagia, globus feeling and a weight loss of 5 kilograms in six months. Neither common infections previously described in combination with IPT such as human herpes virus (HHV) 8, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acute Epstein Barr virus (EBV), nor evidence of manifestation of a systemic mastocytosis or a malignant disease were found. The primary therapy for IPT in locations other than the orbita is complete resection, if this is not applicable or recurrence occurs then cyclosporine, chlorambucil, indometacin or radiation have been used as alternative treatments. A transoral laser-assisted resection was performed in the case described here, resulting in a complete and lasting cure.