A rare tumor of trachea: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor diagnosis and endoscopic treatment

Respir Med Case Rep. 2014 Nov 5:13:57-60. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2014.10.001. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare childhood neoplasms, with benign clinical course. Although etiology of IMTs are not clear, recent studies have reported that IMT is a true neoplasm rather than a reactive or inflammatory lesion. IMTs are rarely seen in adults and tracheal involvement is also rare both in adults and also in children. We describe a 16-year old female patient who was misdiagnosed and treated as asthma in another center for a few months and presented with acute respiratory distress due to upper airway obstruction. Computerized tomography (CT) of the chest and rigid bronchoscopy revealed a mass lesion that was nearly totally obliterating tracheal lumen. Bronchoscopic resection was performed under general anesthesia and the final pathological diagnosis was tracheal IMT.

Keywords: Bronchoscopy; Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor; Trachea.