Rare Primary Tracheal Mass in an Adult: Benign Tracheal Hemangioma Presenting as Large Volume Hemoptysis

Abstract

Primary tracheal tumors are quite rare with an annual incidence of .1 per 100,000 people, with 90% being malignant in nature and commonly found in children. We present an exceedingly rare case of a benign tracheal hemangioma in an adult who presented with recurrent hemoptysis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old female with no known past medical history presented to the emergency department with sudden onset large volume hemoptysis. She was a recent immigrant from Nigeria and was undergoing outpatient diagnostic workup for intermittent hemoptysis. On admission, she was hemodynamically stable with initial lab work significant for mild anemia (9.9g/dL) and moderate thrombocytopenia (52,000mm3). CT scan with contrast enhancement was concerning for an exophytic lesion involving the posterior trachea at the level of the aortic arch measuring 8x8x7mm. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed with complete resection of a pink-tan to red-brown polypoidal tumor involving the mid-trachea with 60% airway occlusion. Cytology results confirmed an ulcerated tracheal hemangioma without signs of malignancy. Six months post-operative images have not shown any further growth and complete patency of the trachea.