Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Tongue: An Uncommon Cause of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Introduction: Solitary fibrous tumor is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm that may be found in any location. To date, only a few cases of solitary fibrous tumor involving the tongue have been reported.

Case Summary: We present the case of a 31-year-old man with a history of progressively worsening snoring and daytime sleepiness. Polysomnography revealed severe obstructive sleep apnea. An attempt to treat sleep apnea by continuous positive airway pressure and oral appliance led to a poor clinical response. CT and MRI scans findings revealed a large mass in the tongue base partially obstructing the airway. After the excision of the mass all symptoms, included daytime somnolence, disappeared and a polysomnographic examination showed the normalization of the somnographic parameters.

Discussion: Although OSA is rarely caused by tumors, each patient with sleep disorders breathing should be examined carefully for the potential presence of an upper aero-digestive tract neoplasm that may contribute to obstruction.