[Unexpected cause of tracheal obstruction: pleomorphic adenoma with lipometaplasia]

Pleomorphic adenoma of the trachea is a benign tumor, extremely rare, that generates obstructive symptoms and sometimes is confused with asthma, which delays its diagnosis. We present the case of a 40-year-old woman with history of asthma and airway obstruction, of 8-months duration. Fibrobronchoscopy showed polypoid, pedunculated lesion in first tracheal ring which occluded 80% of the lumen, that was resected. The histopathological diagnosis was pleomorphic adenoma with lipometaplasia. Treatment of these tumors consists in complete resection of the lesion and long-term follow-up due to low probability of recurrence, malignancy and metastasis.