A Case of Relapsing Polychondritis

기도협착이 초래된 재발성 다발연골염 1례

Relapsing polychondritis is an uncommon disorder of unknown etiology. That involves multisystem characterized by recurrent inflammation, degenerative change of multiple cartilaginous structures. The most common clinical manifestation is an auricular chondritis. Other involving systems are joint, nose, eye, larynx, trachea, aorta, heart and kidney. A 26-year-old man who complained of hoarseness and sore throat was referred to the ENT department from internal medicine department. On initial video-laryngoscopic and radiologic examination, there was no abnormal finding. Treatment with high doses of corticosteroid and methotrexate was not effective. Symptoms were aggrevated with dyspnea. Three months later, on video-laryngoscopic examination, bilateral cord fixation with swelling was noted. The radiologic finding showed subglottic stenosis due to collapse of anterior wall of cricoid cartilage. The condition was managed with tracheotomy. We report a case of relapsing polychondritis involving larynx and trachea with bilateral vocal cord palsy which was managed with tracheotomy.