Fasciitis Ossificans of the Larynx

Abstract

We describe a rare case of laryngeal fasciitis ossificans. A 58-year-old man presented with hoarseness and a nodule was found in the larynx. Excisional biopsy was performed, and follow-up laryngoscopy showed complete resolution of this reactive lesion, and normal laryngeal function. The 0.6 cm diameter nodule was well circumscribed and histologically, the lesion was composed of uniform woven bone trabeculae with rimming of osteoblasts and cellular stroma. At the periphery, uniform spindle cells actively proliferated in edematous stroma. Spindle cells were immunoreactive for vimentin and <em>α</em>-smooth muscle actin, suggesting myofibroblastic differentiation. Fasciitis ossificans is histologically identical to myositis ossificans, but tends to present no zonation phenomenon. Fasciitis ossificans is a rare form of heterotopic bone formation, commonly presenting with signs of local inflammation or pain. This patient's successful outcome suggests that conservative resection may be both diagnostic and curative.