Fatal relapsing tracheobronchial polychondritis diagnosed at autopsy.
A 31-year-old woman was referred to chest clinic with an 18-month history of cough, breathlessness and weight loss. She had previously been treated unsuccessfully with bronchodilators. In clinic she was found to have vocal hoarseness and harsh, monophonic inspiratory breath sounds. A bronchoscopy was arranged, but the patient was found dead before it could be performed. A postmortem examination with histology found evidence of active and chronic inflammation as well as destruction of cartilage, in keeping with a diagnosis of relapsing tracheobronchial polychonditis.
Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Sarah
S
Winstanley
Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Adam
A
Boyde
Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
Richard
R
Attanoos
D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D015431:Weight Loss