[A rare case of a primary intrabronchial neurofibroma].

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 42-year-old woman, a smoker for many years, had suffered from dry cough for some time. She was admitted because of haemoptyses, the first one month previously. Physical examination was unremarkable.

INVESTIGATIONS: Chest radiography in two planes showed no abnormality. Computed tomography revealed a space-occupying lesion adjacent to the right main bronchus, strongly suspicious of a central bronchial carcinoma. Bronchoscopy showed a smoothly circumscribed tumour in the upper lobe bronchus which almost occluded its lumen. Multiple biopsies failed to establish the benignity/malignity of the tumour.

TREATMENT AND COURSE: The tumour was removed by upper lobe resection. There was no macroscopic intraoperative evidence of infiltration. Histology provided the surprising diagnosis of a benign neurofibroma.

CONCLUSION

Thoracotomy should, if at all possible, be performed whenever biopsy of a pulmonary mass fails to establish its benignity. Intrapulmonary neurofibroma is very rare, unless it is part of v. Recklinghausen's disease.