ABSTRACT

Relapsing polichondritis (RP) is an unusual autoimmune disorder that causes destruction and inflammation of cartilaginous and connective tissues. Elastic cartilage of the ears and the nose, hyaline cartilage of peripheral joints, vertebral fibrocartilage and tracheobronchial cartilage, as well as proteoglycanrich structures of the eye, heart, blood vessels or inner ear may all be affected. In most patients, RP manifests a fluctuating and progressive course which eventually results in a significant shortening of life expectancy. The major clinical features include auricular chondritis, arthritis, nasal chondritis, ocular inflammation, chondritis of the respiratory tract and audiovestibular damage. The diagnosis of RP is made on clinical, pathological and radiological basis. In this paper two male patients with relapsing polychondritis; both presenting with chondritis of bilateral auricula and ocular inflammation are reported..