TE Daum, U Specks, TV Colby, ES Edell, MW Brutinel, UB Prakash and RA DeRemee
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.

This study was designed to characterize the clinical spectrum and course of tracheobronchial involvement in Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). Of the 51 patients with biopsy-proven WG who underwent bronchoscopy at least once at our institution between January 1982 and November 1993, 30 (59%) had endobronchial abnormalities due to WG. Initial findings included subglottic stenosis in five (17%), ulcerating tracheobronchitis with or without inflammatory pseudotumors in 18 (60%), tracheal or bronchial stenosis without inflammation in four (13%), and hemorrhage without identifiable source in two (4%) patients. Nine patients with ulcerating tracheobronchitis on initial study had subsequent bronchoscopies for continued symptoms, which in seven cases documented the progression from ulcerating tracheobronchitis to stenosis without inflammation. Bronchoscopic interventions included dilation by rigid bronchoscope in three, YAG-laser treatment in one, and placement of silastic airway stents in three patients. Only the stents provided persistent airway patency. Endobronchial biopsies were performed on 21 occasions in 17 patients. Half of the specimens were helpful in establishing the diagnosis and in all but three in assessing disease activity. While antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody titers reflect overall disease activity, no correlation with endobronchial inflammatory activity was apparent.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				U. B.S. Prakash Uncommon Causes of Cough: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 206S - 219S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Utzig, J. Warzelhan, H. Wertzel, I. Berwanger, and J. Hasse Role of thoracic surgery and interventional bronchoscopy in Wegener's granulomatosis Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2002; 74(6): 1948 - 1952. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. S. Prince, D. R. Duhamel, D. L. Levin, J. H. Harrell, and P. J. Friedman Nonneoplastic Lesions of the Tracheobronchial Wall: Radiologic Findings with Bronchoscopic Correlation RadioGraphics, October 1, 2002; 22(90001): S215 - 230. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Schneider, J. Grone, J. Braun, A. Perez-Canto, and H. J Buhr Wegener's Granulomatosis Presenting as Necrosis of the Left Mainstem Bronchus Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann, September 1, 2002; 10(3): 277 - 279. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Lee, D. A. Culver, C. Farver, and A. C. Mehta Syndrome of Iron Pill Aspiration* Chest, April 1, 2002; 121(4): 1355 - 1357. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A G Rockall, D Rickards, and P J Shaw Imaging of the pulmonary manifestations of systemic disease Postgrad. Med. J., October 1, 2001; 77(912): 621 - 638. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Y. Kim, J.-G. Im, J. M. Goo, J. Y. Kim, S. K. Han, J. K. Lee, and J. W. Song Bronchial Anthracofibrosis (Inflammatory Bronchial Stenosis with Anthracotic Pigmentation): CT Findings Am. J. Roentgenol., February 1, 2000; 174(2): 523 - 527. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. S. Braman, H. C. Grillo, and E. J. Mark Case 32-1999- A 44-Year-Old Man with Tracheal Narrowing and Respiratory Stridor N. Engl. J. Med., October 21, 1999; 341(17): 1292 - 1299. [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A Langford and G. S Hoffman Rare diseases bullet  3: Wegener's granulomatosis Thorax, July 1, 1999; 54(7): 629 - 637. [Full Text]

				R. J. Cerfolio, C. Deschamps, M. S. Allen, V. F. Trastek, and P. C. Pairolero Mainstem Bronchial Sleeve Resection With Pulmonary Preservation Ann. Thorac. Surg., May 1, 1996; 61(5): 1458 - 1462. [Abstract] [Full Text]