[Diagnosis and treatment of a benign tracheal tumour: a schwannoma].
BACKGROUND
Schwannomas are extremely rare benign tumours in the tracheo-bronchial tree.


METHODS
A rigid bronchoscopy was performed in a fifty-six-year-old woman with clinical features of atypical asthma. It permitted total resection and histological examination of a tracheal tumour. It was identified as a benign schwannoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Using this case report as an illustration, and an analysis of the world literature, the clinical, investigative, histological and therapeutic aspects of tracheo-bronchial schwannoma are discussed. Dyspnoea seems to be the most frequent initial symptom. Investigations, including flexible bronchoscopy, failed to reach a diagnosis. In the past, thoracic surgery was the gold standard treatment, but nowadays, rigid bronchoscopy would be the first choice technique for endo-tracheal or endo-bronchial tumours allowing both histological analysis and complete resection.
Girard
C
C
Service de pneumologie et d'oncologie thoracique, Hôpital Nord, CHU de Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France.
Chambonnière
M-L
ML
Vergnon
J-M
JM
D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D014134:Tracheal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*