One not to miss: Tuberculous tracheal stenosis

Ana Campo Ruiz; Miguel F Carrascosa; Juan L García-Rivero; Gerardo Blanco Rodríguez; Marta Cano Hoz; Elena Casuso Sáenz

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101040

One not to miss: Tuberculous tracheal stenosis

Respir Med Case Rep. 2020 Mar 18:30:101040. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101040. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Ana Campo Ruiz¹, Miguel F Carrascosa¹, Juan L García-Rivero², Gerardo Blanco Rodríguez³, Marta Cano Hoz¹, Elena Casuso Sáenz¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of Laredo, Avda. Derechos Humanos s/n, 39770, Laredo, Cantabria, Spain.
² Section of Respiratory Diseases, Hospital of Laredo, Avda. Derechos Humanos s/n, 39770, Laredo, Cantabria, Spain.
³ Department of Radiology, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Avda. Valdecilla 25, 39008, Santander, Cantabria, Spain.

Abstract

We describe a patient who developed severe tracheal stenosis while on treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. Bronchoscopic-guided balloon dilatation succeeded in managing this disorder. Diagnosis of tracheobronchial tuberculosis requires a high index of suspicion because symptoms are usually attributed to co-existing pulmonary disease and airway lesions are not detectable on chest x-ray. Interventional bronchoscopy is employed to restore airway patency once significant stenosis develops. Should bronchoscopic measures fail, surgical options can be considered.

Keywords: Bronchoscopy; Tracheal stenosis; Tuberculosis.

Publication types

Case Reports