Severe respiratory distress at birth caused by a hairy polyp of the Eustachian tube: transoral endoscopy-guided treatment

Hairy polyps are rare developmental lesions, that present as masses mainly consisting of fatty tissue covered by skin, seldom localized in the nasopharynx, causing respiratory obstruction. We describe the case of a female newborn affected by a hairy polyp arising from the left Eustachian tube, who presented severe respiratory distress soon after birth. The polyp was successfully removed transorally under videoendoscopic guidance. This case highlights the importance of including hairy polyp in the differential diagnosis of respiratory distress at birth because this type of tumour can be lethal and requires prompt treatment. A transoral endoscopy-guided approach can allow successful and minimally invasive excision even in a newborn.