RESUMO
More than three hundred and fifty cases of this ailment can be counted at the present time, an ailment coming into the wide framework of connective tissue diseases with systemic vasculitis. The auricle chondritis remains the most frequent initial localization and its almost constant throughout development. The nasal chondritis is distinguished by its evolution to the saddle-nose deformity. The tracheo-bronchial localization remains the most severe one because of a risk of stenosis. During an evolution made by bouts, the disease also involves rheumatoid, ocular, audio-vestibular, dermatological and renal symptoms. Though an immunologic mechanism seems to be the origin of the disease, the pathogenesis of polychondritis is still mysterious. The polychondritis treatment is based upon systemic steroids therapy and possibly upon immunosuppressive agents as well. Dapsone, recently brought into the polychondritis treatment have not superseded cortico-steroid therapy.
