A RARE CASE OF PRIMARY INTRABRONCHIAL NEU ROFIBROMA

History and clinical findings: A 42-year-old woman, a smoker for many years, had suffered from dry cough for some time. She was admitted bec ause of haemoptyses, the first one month previously. Physical examinat ion was unremarkable. Investigations: Chest radiography in two planes showed no abnormality. Computed tomography revealed a space-occupying lesion adjacent to the right main bronchus, strongly suspicious of a c entral bronchial carcinoma. Bronchoscopy showed a smoothly circumscrib ed tumour in the upper lobe bronchus which almost occluded its lumen. Multiple biopsies failed to establish the benignity/malignity of the t umour. Treatment and course: The tumour was removed by upper lobe rese ction. There was no macroscopic intraoperative evidence of infiltratio n. Histology provided the surprising diagnosis of a benign neurofibrom a. Conclusion: Thoracotomy should, if at all possible, be performed wh enever biopsy of a pulmonary mass fails to establish its benignity. In trapulmonary neurofibroma is very rare, unless it is part of v. Reckli nghausen's disease.