tracheomalacia

Etiology

• prolonged endotracheal intubation (most common cause in adults)

Pathology

• softening of the tracheal cartilage
• collapse of the airway during expiration when pathology is intrathoracic

Clinical manifestations

• chronic cough
• chronic dyspnea
• wheezing best heard over trachea

Radiology

• chest X-ray generally normal
• chest CT:
  • may show collapse of trachea during expiration

Differential diagnosis

• refractory asthma*
• tracheobronchomalacia

* ref describes workup & diagnosis of patient origionally diagnosed with refractory asthma

Management

• not responsive to glucocorticoids & bronchodilators
• symptomatic patients with multiple hospital admissions
  • bronchoscopy with stent placement (first line)
  • other surgery to prevent collapse of trachea

More general terms

• sign/symptom

Additional terms

• tracheobronchomalacia