Rock, paper, endoscopy: a baffling case of rhinolith

Patient Characteristics and Frequent Localizations of Rhinoliths

Objective

A rhinolith is a rare entity affecting all people in all age groups. It is defined as a mineralized foreign body. The purpose of the present study was to reveal the distribution in age and gender and the localization, side, and prominent symptoms of rhinoliths to identify the risk groups and characteristics of the rhinoliths in a large case series.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed from the medical charts of 28 patients who were diagnosed with rhinolith and underwent surgery between May 2011 and January 2015 in Ankara Research and Training Hospital. All data, including age, gender, duration of symptoms, localization of the lesion and accompanying pathologies, were documented.

Results

In total, 28 patients (18 females and 10 males) with a mean age of 26.2±16.6 (5-62) years who were diagnosed with rhinolithiasis were reviewed. Nasal obstruction (71.4%) and nasal discharge (64.3%) were the most common complaints. The rhinolith was located in the right nasal cavity in 24 patients and in the left in four; this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). There were 11 accompanying pathologies including nasal septal deviation (n=6), nasal polyposis (n=2), concha bullosa (n=2), and adenoid vegetation (n=1). In 21 (75%) patients, the most common site was the nasal base of the cavity between the inferior turbinate and the nasal septum.

Conclusion

If unilateral right-sided nasal obstruction with foul-smelling purulent discharge is detected in a young adult and a nasal examination reveals a mass in the floor of the cavity, a rhinolith should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis.