Broncholith Removal Using a Cryoprobe in Combination With Biopsy Forceps in a Patient With Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report.
- 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Binzhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University Binzhou Shandong China.
Abstract
Broncholithiasis is a rare respiratory condition usually caused by calcified lymph nodes eroding into the bronchial lumen, often following pulmonary tuberculosis or histoplasmosis infections. Patients may be asymptomatic or present with haemoptysis, recurrent respiratory infections or airway obstruction, for which bronchoscopic or surgical treatment may be required. No internationally standardized guidelines currently exist for broncholith removal. We report a 63-year-old woman with previous pulmonary tuberculosis, recurrent haemoptysis and thrombocytopenia that was subsequently diagnosed as immune thrombocytopenia. Chest CT showed a 9 × 8 mm calcified lesion in the distal anterior segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed a transbronchial broncholith surrounded by granulation tissue and firmly attached at its base. The broncholith was removed using a cryoprobe and biopsy forceps under flexible bronchoscopy, with minor bleeding. This case suggests that broncholith removal under flexible bronchoscopy using a cryoprobe combined with biopsy forceps may be feasible in patients with thrombocytopenia.
Related
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- Intraoperative Breakage and Endoscopic Retrieval of a Dismantled Triprong Forceps During Ureterorenoscopic Lithotripsy: A Rare Complication and Review of the Literature
- The Safety and Efficacy of a Transbronchial Lung Cryobiopsy Using a 1.7-mm Cryoprobe in Older Adult Patients with Suspected Interstitial Lung Disease: A Single-center, Retrospective, Observational Study
- Cryobiopsy vs Forceps for Bronchoscopic Lung Biopsy
- Tracheal Schwannoma Diagnosed by Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Intranodal Forceps Biopsy (EBUS-IFB).
BibTeX
@article{xiao2026broncholith,
title = {{Broncholith Removal Using a Cryoprobe in Combination With Biopsy Forceps in a Patient With Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report.}},
author = {Qisheng Xiao and Nan Ma and Jianbo Zhu},
journal = {Respirology case reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/rcr2.70779},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910329},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Broncholith Removal Using a Cryoprobe in Combination With Biopsy Forceps in a Patient With Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Case Report.
AU - Qisheng Xiao
AU - Nan Ma
AU - Jianbo Zhu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
JO - Respirology case reports
DO - 10.1002/rcr2.70779
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42910329
AB - Broncholithiasis is a rare respiratory condition usually caused by calcified lymph nodes eroding into the bronchial lumen, often following pulmonary tuberculosis or histoplasmosis infections. Patients may be asymptomatic or present with haemoptysis, recurrent respiratory infections or airway obstruction, for which bronchoscopic or surgical treatment may be required. No internationally standardized guidelines currently exist for broncholith removal. We report a 63-year-old woman with previous pulmonary tuberculosis, recurrent haemoptysis and thrombocytopenia that was subsequently diagnosed as immune thrombocytopenia. Chest CT showed a 9 × 8 mm calcified lesion in the distal anterior segmental bronchus of the right upper lobe. Bronchoscopy revealed a transbronchial broncholith surrounded by granulation tissue and firmly attached at its base. The broncholith was removed using a cryoprobe and biopsy forceps under flexible bronchoscopy, with minor bleeding. This case suggests that broncholith removal under flexible bronchoscopy using a cryoprobe combined with biopsy forceps may be feasible in patients with thrombocytopenia.
SN - 2051-3380
ER -