Acute respiratory failure from tracheopathia osteoplastica.

Tracheopathia osteoplastica is a benign cartilaginous and osseous metaplasia of the laryngo-tracheobronchial tree diagnosed more commonly in adults over 50 years of age. We report here the case of a 54-year-old man who underwent thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Immediately after an uneventful surgery, he developed an acute respiratory failure with radiologic picture of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Mechanical ventilation was set up again, bronchoscopy with biopsy disclosed a massive tracheobronchial haemorrhage from a tracheopathia osteoplastica. Supportive treatment was successfully provided and the patient resumed to a normal life 14 days after the operation.