ABSTRACT

A 41-year-old man admitted with the complaint of chronic cough. His complaint had begun while working at a coal processing facility, but continued after changing his job. Previously he had been treated with the diagnosis of acute bronchitis and/or asthma for several occasions. Initial evaluation tests and examinations confirmed the diagnosis of asthma but response to the treatment was unsatisfactory. Further investigation with computed tomography of the thorax, and bronchoscopy and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica. To our knowledge this is the first case associated with both coal dust exposure without interstitial involvement, and asthma. Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica should be considered in asthma cases with chronic cough resistant to therapy, especially when there is a history of inorganic dust exposure.