An endobronchial lipoma successfully resected by high-frequency electric snare: a report of 2 cases.

Endobronchial lipoma is a rare, benign disease. When it causes chronic cough and pneumonia due to obstruction of the central airway, appropriate treatment is required. We herein report 2 cases of endobronchial lipoma successfully treated with a high-frequency electric snare through a flexible bronchoscope. Case 1, an 83-year-old man, visited a nearby hospital because of dyspnea on exertion. Chest computerized tomography revealed a tumor in the right main bronchus. He was referred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. Bronchoscopy showed a polypoid lesion in the right main bronchus. The tumor was resected by high-frequency electric snare through a flexible bronchoscope. Case 2 was an 83-year-old man who was diagnosed with pneumonia by a primary care physician on the basis of findings on chest computerized tomography. Bronchoscopy showed a polypoid lesion at the orifice of the right B6 bronchus, which caused segmental obstructive pneumonia. The tumor was bronchoscopically resected using a high-frequency electric snare and an neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. In both cases, the pathologic diagnosis was endobronchial lipoma.