Tracheobronchitis as an extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis.

Respiratory involvement is a rare extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis (UC). It commonly presents as bronchiectasis and rarely as tracheobronchitis. It can occur before or after the presentation of gastrointestinal symptoms. Only rarely does it occur after the patient undergoes colectomy. Diagnosis should be considered in any patient with UC who presents with unexplained upper respiratory symptoms and a negative work up for infectious aetiologies. It responds well to immunosuppressive therapy. We present a case of a 21-year-old woman who underwent colectomy for ulcerative colitis and later presented with new onset severe reversible inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.