[Protracted course of polychondritis as the etiology of progressive nose deformity, subglottic tracheal stenosis and inner ear hearing loss].

BACKGROUND

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare recurring inflammatory disorder with variable clinical course. Its etiopathogenesis is unknown, but autoimmune mechanisms are likely to be involved.

PATIENT: We present a case report of a 42-year-old woman with polychondritis manifested in very slowly progressing destruction of the nasal cartilage, additional subglottic tracheal stenosis, and increasing cochlear dysfunction.

RESULT: We describe and document by a series of photographs the very protracted course of the disease in this patient from early youth until now. Clinical signs and differential diagnosis in polychondritis are discussed.

CONCLUSION

An early diagnosis in slowly progressing cases like this has to be established in order to permit adequate use of glucocorticoids and/or immunosuppressive drugs, to check the progress of the disease and prevent potentially lethal complications.