TRACHEAL CYST - A RARE CAUSE OF STRIDOR I N ADULT

A case of tracheal cyst is described in a 43-year-old man who was admi tted with nonspecific symptoms of an obstruction in the upper respirat ory tract. A CT scan of the thorax showed a solid tumor on the inner t racheal wall. Bronchoscopy revealed a tumor with a borad base and smoo th surface that almost completely obstructed the trachea. Intraoperati vely, the tumor was found to be a cyst and was successfully removed en doscopically.Tracheal cysts are quite rare and most of the reported ca ses have been confined to pediatric patients as a congenital disease. More frequently, congenital intraluminal cysts of the upper respirator y tract are found as epiglottic retention cysts and laryngoceles.