A Case report of Bronchopathia Chondroplastica, Diagnosed by Flexible Fiber-bronchoscopic examination

Abstract

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica is a benign disease of the multiple osteocartilaginous formation in the wall of the trachea and bronchi which project into the internal surface of those structures, producing a variable amount of obstruction and abnormal stimulation of the airway. It was first described by Wilks in 1857, and termed tracheopathia osteoplastica by Aschoff in 1910.
In Japan some of the documented cases of this disease were diagnosed at autopsy.
However, Kidokoro in 1938 and Hayashi in 1957 made the diagnosis at bronchoscopy.
We presented a 34 year old special training school instructor who was demonstrated to have bronchopathia chondroplastica by flexible fiber-bronchoscopy with the diagnosis confirmed histopathologically. The results of two bronchoscopic examination both before and after resection of the lesion are presented. Speculation as to the possible etiology of this interesting entity is also made. We are going to follow up this patient with further bronchoscopic examination.