Recurrent polychondritis is a recurrent degenerative inflammatory disease of cartilaginous tissue that manifests as involvement of connective tissues such as the ear, nose, larynx, trachea, eye, joints, heart valves, and other organs and blood vessels. The etiology of recurrent polychondritis is unclear, and experimental evidence suggests a close relationship with autoimmune reactions. The cartilage matrix is affected by trauma and inflammation, which exposes antigens and triggers an immune response to cartilage locally or to tissues with cartilage components such as the uvea and vitreous humor in the eye, heart valves, submucosal basement membrane of the trachea, synovial joints, and kidneys. The onset and main manifestations of recurrent polychondritis are similar in the proportion of men and women, mostly between 30 and 60 years of age. The initial phase of the disease is an acute inflammatory response, with auricular chondritis being the most common clinical manifestation. The acute phase resolves into chronic recurrent episodes over several years, eventually resulting in the destruction of the supporting cartilage tissue and the gradual development of a floppy auricle, saddle nose, and visual, olfactory, auditory, and vestibular dysfunction. In addition, about half of the patients will have laryngeal, tracheal and bronchial cartilage involvement, which manifests as hoarseness, irritating cough, dyspnea, and early pressure pain in the laryngeal cartilage. Articular synovial lesions, cardiovascular valvular lesions, hematologic abnormalities, skin lesions, and neurologic and renal system abnormalities can all be seen in patients with recurrent polychondritis. Patient treatment and daily care The main aspects of treatment include general therapy and medication. During acute attacks, patients should rest in bed and be given a liquid or semi-liquid diet to avoid pain in the epiglottis and larynx, depending on the condition. Pay attention to keep the airway open to prevent asphyxia. Sedation can be used for those who are irritable and restless. Let the patient get enough sleep. Patients in the chronic phase should pay attention to maintaining good living habits, a healthy and balanced diet, enhancing the body’s resistance to disease, preventing infection, not overworking and overexertion, and quitting smoking and drinking. In addition, to establish confidence to overcome the disease, adhere to treatment and maintain optimism. Drugs mainly include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and allopathic treatment. Patients with severe respiratory distress caused by collapsed tracheal cartilage should undergo tracheotomy immediately and, if necessary, use artificial ventilator-assisted ventilation to obtain further treatment with drugs. Surgical resection has been reported for limited tracheal stenosis due to chondromalacia. Pulmonary inflammation should be actively prevented and treated, and effective antibiotics should be used in the event of pulmonary infection. In cases of refractory cardiac insufficiency due to heart valve pathology, cardiac stimulants and heart load reducing drugs should be used. If available, valve repair or valvuloplasty and aortic aneurysm resection should be performed. Prognosis The prognosis for this group of patients is generally good, although severe cases often die from asphyxia due to collapse of laryngeal and tracheal cartilage-supporting structures, or from cardiovascular lesions. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are effective tools to reduce the mortality rate and improve the prognosis.