Symptomatic Improvement in Cicatricial Pemphigoid of the Trachea Achieved with Laser Ablation Bronchoscopy

Abstract

Cicatricial pemphigoid (CP) with tracheal involvement is a rare and potentially deadly condition. Here, we report the first case in which Nd:YAG laser (1064nm) laser ablation bronchoscopy was used to treat CP with tracheal involvement. Our patient is a 71-year-old male with a history of CP refractory to medical therapy affecting his trachea who presented to the emergency department with dyspnea. He ultimately underwent bronchoscopy with Nd: YAG laser (1064nm) laser ablation, which resulted in a temporary alleviation of his respiratory symptoms. A repeat laser ablation was planned in hopes of prolonging the patient’s remission, but due to interval changes in the patient’s airway anatomy, it was deemed unsafe. While our patient’s uniquely advanced disease was not amenable to further laser-mediated intervention, it is possible that patients with less advanced disease may experience better outcomes with similar therapy. This case shows the promise laser ablation could hold for patients with tracheal cicatricial pemphigoid.