What is Relapsing Polychondritis?
Relapsing Polychondritis is a rare, chronic, multi-system, inflammatory/degenerative disease with varying clinical manifestations that can compromise the structural and functional integrity of cartilage and other connective tissue. It is part of the rheumatic disease family. The classic hallmarks of RPC are repeated episodes of chondritis (inflammation of cartilage) involving the ear, nose and trachea. Inflammation at these sites can lead to cartilage destruction and result in deformity of the ears, the nose, and obstruction of the trachea, which leads to difficulty breathing.
