title: Endobronchial tuberculosis with expectoration of tracheal cartilages.
abstract: A case of endotracheal tuberculosis with expectorations of the lateral one-third of the multiple tracheal cartilages is reported. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy revealed caseous materials and loosening of the tracheal cartilages. The patient expectorated cartilaginous material several times before and after fibreoptic bronchoscopy. In spite of the loss of tracheal cartilages, tracheal lumen was maintained with a mild airflow limitation. The remaining two-thirds of the tracheal cartilage rings seemed to be strong enough to support the tracheal lumen opening during the respiratory cycle. Although rare, expectoration of bronchial cartilage can be one of the clinical features of endobronchial tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Internal Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002356:Cartilage / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D014132:Trachea; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents