Severe inflammatory upper airway stenosis in ulcerative colitis

Severe upper airway stenosis was diagnosed in a 23 year old woman who presented with hoarseness, cough and dyspnoea 8 yrs after initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. The respiratory symptoms worsened over the next few months, the patient eventually developing dysphagia and ultimately severe upper airway obstruction. The narrowest site was the glottis, which was severely stenosed by inflammatory swellings. Systemic corticosteroids led to rapid clinical improvement and restoration of normal airway patency within a few months. Ulcerative colitis is frequently associated with extraintestinal inflammatory manifestations. In the respiratory tract these usually take the form of chronic bronchitis, which occasionally develops into bronchiectasis. This case confirms that the inflammation can also involve the larynx and large airways.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Black, M. Mendoza, and S. Murin Thoracic Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Chest, February 1, 2007; 131(2): 524 - 532. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. J. Janssen, L. N. Bierig, D. A. Beuther, and Y. E. Miller Stridor in a 47-year-old man with inflammatory bowel disease. Chest, April 1, 2006; 129(4): 1100 - 1106. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Marten, F Fend, H Hautmann, M Kremer, E J Rummeny, and C Engelke Fatal acute exacerbation of usual interstitial pneumonia in ulcerative colitis Br. J. Radiol., August 1, 2005; 78(932): 762 - 766. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cohen and S. A. Sahn Bronchiectasis in Systemic Diseases Chest, October 1, 1999; 116(4): 1063 - 1074. [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. TZANAKIS, M. SAMIOU, D. BOUROS, J. MOUZAS, E. KOUROUMALIS, and N. M. SIAFAKAS Small Airways Function in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 1, 1997; 157(2): 382 - 386. [Abstract] [Full Text]