Silent Tracheobronchial Chondritis In A Patient With A Delayed Diagnosis Of Relapsing Polychondritis

Keywords

Ear, Nose And Throat/otolaryngology; Respiratory Medicine; Rheumatology

Abstract

Relapsing polychondritis is a very rare autoimmune disease characterised by a relapsing inflammation of hyaline, elastic and fibrous cartilaginous tissues. The incidence is estimated to be between 3.5 and 4.5 per million people per year. Clinical signs and symptoms can be very subtle, and if left undiagnosed for a prolonged period, airway involvement can cause fibrosis of the tracheobronchial wall, leading to a fixed tracheobronchial stenosis. Eventually, this can progress to life-threatening tracheobronchomalacia due to irreversible damage and loss of tissue integrity. We report an elderly man who presented with recurrent bilateral ear inflammation and intermittent polyarthritis who was diagnosed with relapsing polychondritis with asymptomatic involvement of his large airways.

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

BMJ Case Reports

Volume

2017

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2017-220172

Socpus ID

85025840028 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85025840028

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