Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mismatch: A Case of Tracheal Hamartoma

Abstract

Objective: To demonstrate the diagnostic challenge of tracheal hamartoma in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 65-year-old man with COPD was admitted with sudden onset of asphyxia attacks related to the position of his body. Computerized tomography (CT) of the neck showed a soft tissue mass with calcification, which occluded more than two-thirds of the proximal part of the trachea. The tumor was completely removed, and histopathology confirmed hamartoma. Conclusion: This case report showed the detection of a primary tracheal tumor on CT. This finding enabled the correct diagnosis and led to appropriate treatment in the form of surgery. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.