A man in his 60s had to swallow a rare diagnosis when he presented to hospital with progressive dysphagia.

And it was no wonder, considering his unusually lengthy uvula, enlarged tongue with posterior scalloping and erythematous palatoglossal arch.

He also reported a two-year history of hand and facial oedema, as well as dry skin and hair loss.

A biopsy of the uvula with Congo-red staining showed apple–green birefringence, suggestive of amyloid deposits.