Tracheal stenting for primary tracheal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma

Abstract

Primary tracheal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is extremely rare. We report a 49-year-old female patient with the complaint of dyspnea. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy showed polypoid, variable-sized and irregular nodules causing narrowing of the tracheal lumen from the proximal trachea to the left main bronchus. Because of severe stenosis in the airway and the severity of symptoms, this case was unresectable. The patient was then treated successfully with placement of an endobronchial stent through bronchofibroscopy. After the placement of the stent, bronchoscopic biopsy was performed. Pathological analysis confirms a diagnosis of MALT-associated malignant lymphoma. We performed systemic chemotherapy on the patient. The temporary stent was removed after the reduction of the stenosis. This is the first case in which tracheal MALT lymphoma was treated successfully following tracheal stent insertion guided by bronchofibroscopy. Temporary tracheal stenting can be a favorable choice for a patient with tracheal stenosis caused by primary tracheal MALT lymphoma. © 2013 Ding et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.