Broncholithiasis: a case report

Abstract

A case is reported of broncholithiasis in a 29-year-old female factory worker presenting with cough and lithoptysis. Broncholithiasis is a rare disorder characterized by calcified perihilar and mediastinal lymph nodes eroding into the tracheobronchial tree. Although cough, hemoptysis, lithoptysis, pneumonia and bronchoesophageal fistula formation have been reported, broncholithiasis may also result in potentially life-threatening conditions such as airway obstruction from endobronchial polypoid granulation masses, and massive hemorrhage from an aorto-tracheal fistula or erosion of a pulmonary artery branch.