title: Systemic Al amyloidosis of the tracheobronchial tract and lungs: a rare finding.
abstract: A 67- year old man presented with cough, weight loss and night sweats. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy did not show any abnormality. Chest computed tomography scan revealed peribronchovascular thickening, sheathing and narrowing of some bronchi. There were also mediastinal and interbronchial Lymphadenopathies. The patient became lost to follow-up. He presented 5 years later with pneumonia. Flexible bronchoscopy showed diffuse infiltration of the bronchi suggesting lung cancer. Histopathological study with histochemical staining revealed tracheobronchial tract AL amyloidosis. Chest CT-scan revealed extension of the broncho-vascular thickening and superimposed pulmonary calcified nodules and lymphadenopathies. Labial biopsy revealed AL amyloidosis. No specific treatment of amyloidosis was thought to be necessary for the patient. At 6 years follow-up the disease had not progressed. This case report highlights the fact that even very rarely, systemic AL amyloidosis can involve the tracheobronchial tract. Moreover, the lungs and the tracheobronchial tract can, although rarely, be affected in the same patient.
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department I of Pneumology. 2080. Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zendah
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department I of Pneumology. 2080. Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna Ben
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Khelifa
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department of Pathology. 2080. Ariana, zunisia.
authors.forename: Aïda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department I of Pneumology. 2080. Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khattab
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department of Radiology. 2080. Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Saoussan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hantous
authors.affiliation: Abderrahmane Mami Hospital of Thoracic Diseases. Department I of Pneumology. 2080. Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghedira
keywords: Amysloidosis; Lung; Tracheobronchial tract