Oropharyngeal stenosis in patient with oral submucous fibrosis: a case report with 8-year follow-up

TL;DR

A 43-year-old man with a long-term betel nut habit developed a rare throat narrowing due to oral submucous fibrosis, which was surgically corrected and remained successful for 8 years.

Contribution

This case report documents a rare complication of OSF and a successful surgical intervention with long-term follow-up.

Findings

Oropharyngeal stenosis is a rare but severe complication of oral submucous fibrosis.

A modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty-like procedure effectively treated the stenosis.

The surgical outcome was sustained for 8 years with normal mouth opening and oropharyngeal function.

Abstract

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, progressive condition affecting the oral mucosa associated with areca nut consumption. It leads to restricted tongue movement, loss of papillae, blanching and stiffening of the mucosa, difficulty in opening the mouth, and challenges in eating due to inflammation and fibrosis. This report presents a rare case of oropharyngeal stenosis secondary to OSF in a 43-year-old male with a history of chewing betel nut. A surgical procedure similar to Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was performed to excise the submucous oropharyngeal stenosis and to reconstruct the uvula, palatoglossal arch, and palatopharyngeal arch. At 8 years postoperatively, the patient exhibited a normal mouth opening and oropharyngeal aperture.

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