Successful bronchoscopic cryorecanalization in a case of endobronchial lipoma

Endobronchial lipomas are rare benign tumors; less than 150 cases have been reported so far. Bronchial occlusion usually leads to a misdiagnosis of asthma/COPD or malignancy. We report the case of a 67-year-old man with a history of heavy smoking (100 pack years), dyspnea on exertion, cough, and malaise who was treated for pneumonia for three weeks. Due to nonresolving atelectasis of the superior segment of the right lower lobe, a malignant endobronchial tumor was suspected. Rigid bronchoscopy with cryorecanalization led to both the definite histopathological diagnosis of endobronchial lipoma and the reopening of an endoluminal airway obstruction during one procedure.