title: [Chronic idiopathic lithoptysis].
abstract: Broncholiths, which usually arise from calcified peribronchial lymph nodes, can be found by radiography or bronchoscopy. We describe the case of a 19-year-old man who had experienced lithoptysis of bronchial hydroxyapatite calculi for over 6 months and who reported having sandy expectoration since childhood. Exhaustive clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic diagnostic studies detected no calcified lesions in the thorax that could explain the origin of the broncholiths. Therefore, we propose that broncholiths may form by mechanisms similar to those involved in calculi formation in other locations.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Neumología, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Alicante, España. egpachon@hotmail.com
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García Pachón
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grases
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Padilla Navas
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Valero
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Romero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002137:Calculi / Q000737:chemistry*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D006882:Hydroxyapatites / Q000032:analysis; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006882:Hydroxyapatites