Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: innocuous but distressing

Tracheopathia osteoplastica is a rare benign abnormality of the trachea and bronchi characterized by numerous cartilaginous and bony nodules within the tissues of the submucosa without ulceration of the surface. The trachea, and, to a lesser extent, the bronchi, become narrow, rigid, and inelastic, the surface of the air passage presenting a corrugated and " cobblestone " appearance due to the projection of many sessile plaques and polyps into the lumen from the underlying tissues. In most instances the age incidence has been 40 to 60 years of age, with exceptions at 12 and 70 years, the sexes being equally affected. According to Hiebaum (1934), Luschka described the condition in 1856, a year before the first generally recognized publication by Wilks (1857). The latter found evidence of bony deposits in the larynx, trachea, and bronchi in a 38-year-old man who died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Dalgaard (1947) reviewed the literature of some 90 cases recorded at that time and included a detailed histological examination of the trachea in a personal case from a man 67 years of age. Since then further reports have been published by

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Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica—Clinical, Radiological, and Endoscopic Correlation: Case Series and Literature Review

García

Sangiovanni

Zúñiga-Restrepo

et al. 2020

Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports

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Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare idiopathic and benign disease that is often underdiagnosed. TO is characterized by multiple submucosal cartilaginous and osseous tracheobronchial nodules that spare the posterior wall. It usually affects the elderly, developing when the person is around 60 years old without gender preference and has a reported incidence of 0.11%. TO can be symptomatic and should be considered in patients with chronic cough, dyspnea, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Diagnosis is usually incidental by computed tomography or bronchoscopy, the latter being the gold standard diagnostic test for TO. Many thoracic imagers are not well acquainted with TO; thus, these patients are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. We came across 5 patients in our institution who were incidentally diagnosed with TO, inspiring us to review the available literature on this disease. A total of 33 patients diagnosed with TO between 2009 and 2019 were identified by our retrospective review. Clinical and imaging data were collected on these patients. We also included the clinical, radiological, and endoscopic data of our 5 cases. TO should be considered in patients with chronic cough, dyspnea, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Our experience is that both computed tomography and bronchoscopy can be used to make a reliable diagnosis. It is crucial for physicians, especially radiologists and pulmonologists, to be aware of the existence of TO in order to ensure proper diagnosis.

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Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: innocuous but distressing

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Clinicopathological Features and Management Principles of Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica - A Scoping Review

Clinicopathological Features and Management Principles of Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica - A Scoping Review

Tracheopathia Osteoplastica

Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica—Clinical, Radiological, and Endoscopic Correlation: Case Series and Literature Review

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