Fibromyxoma of the trachea. A review of benign tracheal tumors.

A 59-year-old woman presented with asthmatic symptoms. A fibromyxoma obstructing her trachea was surgically removed. Benign tracheal tumors are rare lesions usually misdiagnosed as asthma. Histologically, the majority are soft-tissue-type tumors of mesenchymal origin. They are more frequently located in the lower third of the trachea with the exception of benign mixed tumor and granular cell myoblastoma that arise more frequently in the upper third. Though endoscopic removal of some tumors has been successful, complete cure without recurrence is better accomplished by segmental tracheal resection with end-to-end anastomosis.