Two Cases of Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica

Two cases of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TOP) are reported. The first case, a 72-year-old male, had complained of no airway symptoms; the second was a 60-year-old female who had suffered from an abnormal sensation in the throat for two months. Both cases were diagnosed initially by otolaryngologic examination on their first visit to our out-patient clinic. However, an initial finding of TOP determined by indirect laryngoscopy is extremely rare in the Japanese literature, although the cranial part of the trachea involved in this disease is often reported. Indirect laryngoscopy in routine otolaryngologic examinations can play an important role in diagnosing patients with TOP, including asymptomatic cases. There have been many claims regarding the etiology of TOP, although it remains unknown. It is interesting that the RA test was positive in 6 of the 11 patients reported in the Japanese literature, including our cases, although there have been no reports concerning the relation of TOP to the RA test. More study is needed regarding the RA test's clinicopathological significance for TOP.