Tracheal rhinoscleroma treated by argon laser

Scleroma of the lower respiratory tract: case report and review of literature

The case of a 46-year-old man who presented with acute respiratory distress due to a tracheal mass is reported. The patient underwent endoscopic resection of the mass and the histopathology revealed scleroma. No other sites of involvement by scleroma were found. This case is reported because laryngotracheal involvement by scleroma as the only manifestation of this disease is extremely rare.

Rhinoscleroma: a growing concern in the United States? Mayo Clinic experience

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic, progressive, granulomatous infection of the upper airways caused by the bacterium Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis. Although most cases occur in developing countries, recent immigration patterns have led to an increasing number of patients with rhinoscleroma in the United States. Rhinoscleroma may mimic various inflammatory and neoplastic processes, including leprosy, paracoccidioidomycosis, sarcoidosis, basal cell carcinoma, and Wegener's granulomatosis. Current therapy consists of a combination of surgical débridement and prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Rhinoscleroma should be added to the list of opportunistic infections that can occur in patients with human immunodeficiency virus.