title: Rhinosporidiosis of trachea: a clinical cause for concern.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhinosporidiosis is a granulomatous infection usually affecting the nasal mucosa and conjunctiva. The disease is widely prevalent in India and Sri Lanka. Tracheo-bronchial involvement is extremely rare and is potentially life threatening. Diagnosis of tracheal involvement is a challenge due to the risk of bleeding during attempted bronchoscopic biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 73-year-old man was admitted with severe respiratory distress, for which emergency tracheostomy was performed. At tracheostomy, a fleshy mass was seen emerging from the wound. Pathological examination of the mass confirmed rhinosporidiosis involving the trachea. Complete excision of the mass was performed after initial stabilisation of the patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tracheo-bronchial rhinosporidiosis, a rare complication of nasopharyngeal infection, should be considered in a known case presenting with severe respiratory distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Amit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dinda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012227:Rhinosporidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*