[Chronic atrophic polychondritis. A case report].

Chronic atrophic polychondritis is a rare systemic disease characterized by recurring inflammation of cartilage of the ear, nose, larynx and of the tracheobronchial tree. Nowadays, it is considered to be an autoimmune disease. The case of a 25-year-old female patient hospitalized in our department for treatment of a dyspnea is herein presented. ORL laryngoscopic examination revealed a small sized larynx with a pronounced narrowing of its lumen and very "floppy" cartilage. Bronchoscopic findings were a circumferential stenosis along the entire trachea and the right major bronchi. Results from biopsies performed on the trachea and thyroid cartilage were in favor of chronic atrophic polychondritis. The course of the disease was characterized by an aggravation of the dyspnea with episodes of asphyxia resulting in a tracheotomy. The tracheotomy has not been closed to this day, due to the underlined disease of the patient.