Hypopharyngeal lipoma as a cause for sudden asphyxial death.

Lipomas of the hypopharynx are uncommon tumors that are rarely life threatening. When positioned in the hypopharynx, asphyxia may be the result of the tumor size or sudden displacement into the oropharynx. We present a case of a large hypopharyngeal lipoma, review the literature, and discuss mechanisms by which these lesions may cause sudden asphyxial death.