Use of bronchoscopic electrocautery in removing an endotracheal metastasis

Abstract

Bronchoscopic electrocautery is an easy, safe and rapid local method for the removal of a tracheal metastasis. Recently, we experienced a case of papillary serous carcinoma of the ovary with tracheal metastasis in a 45-year-old woman. Twelve years after the initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer, the patient presented with dyspnea. A chest CT scan showed that the trachea was nearly obstructed with a polypoid mass. The mass, later shown to be a metastatic papillary serous carcinoma, was removed by flexible bronchoscopic electrocautery with a snare. To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe the successful removal of an endotracheal metastasis of ovarian cancer using bronchoscopic electrocautery.