polychondritis

Inflammation of cartilage. [poly- + G. chondros, cartilage, + -itis, inflammation]

- chronic atrophic p. SYN: relapsing p..

- relapsing p. a degenerative disease of cartilage producing a bizarre form of arthritis, with collapse of the ears, the cartilaginous portion of the nose, and the tracheobronchial tree; death may occur from chronic infection or suffocation because of loss of stability in the tracheobronchial tree; of autosomal origin. SYN: chronic atrophic p., generalized chondromalacia, Meyenburg disease, Meyenburg-Altherr-Uehlinger syndrome, relapsing perichondritis, systemic chondromalacia.

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poly·chon·dri·tis .päl-ē-(.)kän-'drīt-əs n inflammation of cartilage at multiple sites in the body see RELAPSING POLYCHONDRITIS

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poly·chon·dri·tis (pol″e-kon-driґtis) inflammation involving many cartilages of the body.