Plastic bronchitis in children

Abstract

Cast or plastic bronchitis (PB) is an unusual disorder that is rarely encountered in children. Plastic bronchitis is characterized by widespread formation of casts in the tracheobronchial tree with partial or complete airway obstruction. The pathologist may receive bronchial casts that have been removed by bronchoscopy for gross and histopathologic analysis. We describe two children with PB in the setting of an apparent lower respiratory tract infection, where the bronchoscopic removal of major cast segments was associated with a favorable outcome. Patients' clinical and radiographic features and gross anatomic and histopathologic characteristics of casts are presented.