Rare tracheal chondroid hamartoma masquerading as asthma in a 14-year-old girl

Tracheal hamartomas are rare in all age groups and have not been previously described in adolescence.

To report the first case of a tracheal chondroid hamartoma presenting as exercise intolerance and wheezing and previously misdiagnosed and treated as asthma.

Symptoms, pulmonary function tests, chest x-ray examination, chest computed tomography, and histologic examination of the specimen were performed.

The pulmonary function tests obtained throughout several years revealed progressive decreases (approximately 30% of predicted) in peak expiratory flow and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (approximately 50% of predicted). The inspiratory and expiratory flow-volume curve suggested a fixed central airway obstruction. Both the chest x-ray examination and computed tomography revealed an intraluminal tracheal tumor that was surgically excised. Histologic examination revealed a chondroid hamartoma.

Rare benign primary tracheal tumors, including chondroid hamartoma, can present in adolescence with asthma-like symptoms for years and should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially in the setting of appropriately abnormal spirometry or when asthma is very difficult to control.