Rhinolithiasis: review of 21 cases.

BACKGROUND: Rhinolithiasis is masses that result from the deposition of salts around an intranasal foreign body. Rhinoliths are rare and rhinolithiasis is generally reported in the literature in single case studies. This study presents 21 cases of rhinolithiasis with a large series of clinical findings, diagnosis, and treatment.

METHODS: A total of 21 patients diagnosed with rhinolithiasis were identified. Clinical presentations, signs, and symptoms of the patients with radiological findings are presented, and x-ray diffraction analyses of three of the removed rhinoliths were performed to assess their mineralogical composition.

RESULTS: A total of 21 patients (9 male and 12 female patients; age range, 4-63 years) diagnosed with rhinolithiasis were reviewed in this study. The most common symptoms were noted as purulent rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. The other symptoms were headache, oral malodor, and recurrent epistaxis. Nasal endoscopic examination was used for diagnosis of all patients. Endoscopic nasal examinations and computerized tomography (CT) findings revealed that rhinolithiasis was accompanied by sinusitis, chronic vestibulitis, allergic rhinitis, septum deviation, and squamous cell carcinoma. Rhinoliths were fully excised by using endoscopic nasal surgery. Mineralogical analyses of the three removed stones revealed dahllite [Ca(5)(PO(4),CO(3))(3)OH].

CONCLUSION: Cases of rhinolithiasis are seen rarely. It should always be considered in patients complaining from long-term unilateral nasal obstruction and unilateral purulent rhinorrhea. The treatment involves the removal of the rhinolith and the use of appropriate antibiotic therapy to control local infection. Rigid nasal endoscopy is the most important method to be used in diagnosis and treatment.