A case of lung collapse caused by endobronchial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma reinflated with laser and electrosurgical snaring

A 62-year-old woman, who had undergone left nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma and had received interferon-alpha for metastasis to the lung, was hospitalized because of cough, dyspnea and anorexia 16 months after nephrectomy. Chest radiography showed collapse of the right lung. We performed bronchoscopy and found a red polypoid tumor completely obstructing the right bronchus. Biopsy specimens showed clear cell carcinoma, similar to previous specimens of renal cell carcinoma. We removed the endobronchial tumor with laser and electrosurgical snaring, after which the right lung reinflated.