Tracheopathia osteoplastica misdiagnosed as asthma

Tracheopathia osteoplastica (TPO) is a rare disorder characterized by cartilaginous or bony mucosal nodules in the tracheobronchial tree. Due to most patients being asymptomatic, the majority are diagnosed post-mortem. If symptoms are present, they typically include chronic cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, hoarseness, and wheezing, with some of these symptoms overlapping with asthma. This case report describes an adult female with chronic cough who was diagnosed with asthma that was refractory to therapy for 8 years. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed several soft tissue masses in the trachea with bronchoscopy revealing TPO in the upper portion of the trachea. She was diagnosed with TPO and started on airway clearance and a nasal corticosteroid spray with resolution of the cough at follow-up 3 months later.