Tracheopathia osteoplastica: report of four cases.

We describe 4 florid examples of tracheopathia osteoplastica (TPO) discovered incidentally at autopsy. The sparsity of previously reported cases of TPO from Australia possibly reflects a lack of awareness of this entity rather than its true incidence. The more recent literature concerning the etiopathogenesis, pathology and clinical complications of this uncommon condition is reviewed. In our view TPO is a distinct entity and does not represent a late stage of diffuse tracheal amyloidosis.