Histologic evidence of tracheal stenosis directly resulting from SARS-CoV-2 tissue infiltration, a case series

Abstract

BackgroundThere has been an anecdotal increase in the incidence of tracheal stenosis that has coincided with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.Case presentationThis is a case series in which we report clinical and pathologic findings of two patients who subsequently developed subglottic tracheal stenosis after having been hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. Histopathologic analysis of tissue from these patients shows features consistent with tissue infiltrated with SARS-CoV-2 virus, namely multinucleated syncytial cells with prominent nucleoli.ConclusionOur findings directly implicate SARS-CoV-2 in the pathogenesis of tracheal stenosis.