Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: A case report and literature review

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TBO) is a rare disease with unknown etiology characterized by ossifying nodules in the trachea and bronchial walls without involvement of the posterior wall of trachea. A 35-year-old woman admitted to Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, in August 2018 was diagnosed as TBO. She complained of dyspnea for over two years, worsening in autumn and winter, and was detected with tracheal ossification via bronchoscopy and biopsy. The patient received no special treatment, and no improvement or deterioration of symptoms was observed during the 3-month follow-up. We reviewed 60 TBO cases and found that 60% of them were female, with ages of 20-80 (53.62±15.97) years. The involved lesion sites were from the vocal cords to the bronchial segments, mainly in the trachea and bilateral main trachea, and the lower part of the trachea was more common. Combined respiratory symptoms were common. The diagnosis mainly depends on bronchoscopy and biopsy. Symptomatic treatment is the main strategy for symptomatic TBO patients, including endoscopic intervention and surgery. It is generally believed that the short-term prognosis of TBO is good, but the long-term prognosis still needs to be further studied.