Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease in which several cartilaginous structures are involved in an inflammatory and degenerative process. In the past, only 20 cases of this disease have been reported in Japan. Recently we experienced another case. The patient was a 37-year-old female who complained of hoarseness with stridor and dyspnea, fever, and painful swelling of the auricles. Histological examination of a specimen taken from an auricular cartilage with the use of light microscope as

more »

... ell as electron microscope revealed that the disease was relapsing polychondritis. Although steroid therapy showed dramatic effects on the symptoms, it could not produce complete cure. She is now alive with a permanent tracheostoma because of laryngeal stenosis due to the destruction of the laryngeal cartilages.