[A rare case of a primary intrabronchial neurofibroma]

A 42-year-old woman, a smoker for many years, had suffered from dry cough for some time. She was admitted because of haemoptyses, the first one month previously. Physical examination was unremarkable.

Chest radiography in two planes showed no abnormality. Computed tomography revealed a space-occupying lesion adjacent to the right main bronchus, strongly suspicious of a central bronchial carcinoma. Bronchoscopy showed a smoothly circumscribed tumour in the upper lobe bronchus which almost occluded its lumen. Multiple biopsies failed to establish the benignity/malignity of the tumour.

The tumour was removed by upper lobe resection. There was no macroscopic intraoperative evidence of infiltration. Histology provided the surprising diagnosis of a benign neurofibroma.

Thoracotomy should, if at all possible, be performed whenever biopsy of a pulmonary mass fails to establish its benignity. Intrapulmonary neurofibroma is very rare, unless it is part of v. Recklinghausen's disease.