Rigid bronchoscopic management of acute respiratory failure in a 30-year-old woman

A 30-year-old woman presented with a history of progressive shortness of breath, cough, and hoarseness. Stridor was audible on examination. Chest X-ray showed normal lung fields and contrast-enhanced computed tomography thorax showed lower tracheal occlusion with endoluminal growth. Diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy demonstrated multiple whitish glistening nodules over both vocal cords and lower tracheal occlusion by whitish nodular growth. In view of critical central airway obstruction, rigid bronchoscopy and excision of the lower tracheal growth were performed. Histopathological examination of the excised specimen demonstrated features of squamous papillomas. A diagnosis of respiratory papillomatosis was established. On follow-up surveillance bronchoscopy, there was a gradual spontaneous regression of the residual lesions, and the patient remains currently asymptomatic 1 year since the procedure.