title: Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica.
abstract: 6 cases of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica are discussed. Diagnoses were established ante mortem. Endoscopic examination was performed in 3 patients because of hematic expectoration, in the other 3 cases the induction was given by chronic bronchorhea, slow-resolving pneumonia and suspected neoplasia, respectively. Calcification and cartilaginous areas were restricted to a small portion of the tracheobronchial tree in 1 of the cases; in 3 cases the disease affected the trachea and both main bronchi, whereas it was found markedly spread throughout the trachea in the last 2 patients. Tracheal tomography and bronchoscopic examination are considered the methods of choice for an ante mortem diagnosis of this disease.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000150:complications; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000473:pathology; D002805:Chondrocalcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology