relapsing polychondritis

noun

: a connective tissue disease especially of cartilage that is characterized usually by recurrent progressively destructive episodes of tissue inflammation (as of the ears, nose, larynx, trachea, eyes, joints, kidney, or heart) and that is inferred to have an autoimmune etiology from its frequent association with autoimmune diseases (as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus)