Intraoral presentation of rhinolith

Endoscopic Management of Rhinolithiasis: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

This study reviews the presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with rhinolithiasis.

DATA SOURCES

An electronic database search of PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library was performed in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 updated guidelines for reporting systematic reviews.

REVIEW METHODS

Case reports and case series published from 2004 to 2020 were included. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical symptoms at presentation, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and follow-up. Relevant descriptive statistics were computed using Microsoft Excel 2013 (Microsoft Corp).

RESULTS

Fifty-five case reports and five case series were included (n = 122). The majority were female (60.7%). The mean age was 29.4 years (range, 4-80 years). The most common symptoms were rhinorrhea (81.1%), nasal obstruction (79.5%), nasal malodor (38.5%), and headache (27.9%). Computed tomography imaging was obtained in 109 (91.5%) cases. Concurrent rhinosinusitis (35.2%) and deviated nasal septum (28.7%) were commonly identified. Rhinoliths were commonly found in the right nostril (52.5%) and in between the inferior turbinate and nasal septum (26.9%). All rhinoliths were fully excised using endoscopic sinonasal surgery, accompanied by a septoplasty (9.2%). The nidus was identified in 27 (22.2%) patients. There were no recurrences or complications over an average follow-up of 8.5 months (range, 0.25-36 months).

CONCLUSION

Rhinolithiasis is an uncommon entity of the nasal cavity and should be suspected in patients with long-standing unilateral nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, and nasal malodor. Rigid nasal endoscopy and endoscopic sinonasal surgery are the most important methods for diagnosis and treatment, respectively.

Rhinolith: Examining the clinical, radiological and surgical features of 23 cases

OBJECTIVE

Rhinolith is a hard nasal mass formed in time by the mineral salts around an endogenous or exogenous-originating nidus. Rhinolith, which is seen rarely, has been reported in the literature as case reports. In this study, we are presenting the demographic and clinical features together with accompanying sinonasal pathologies of 23 rhinolith cases.

METHODS

The medical records and radiological findings of 23 cases, who were operated for rhinolith between January 2010 and June 2018 in Tokat State Hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. The age, gender, the side where rhinolith exists, nidus presence, type of surgery and sinonasal pathologies that accompany rhinolith, and accompanying secondary sinonasal surgeries were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 17 (73.2%) of the 23 cases were female, and 6 (26.8%) were male. The mean age was 24.9 years. The symptoms that were seen in the patients were nasal obstruction (100%), rhinorrhea (82.6%), nasal malodor (78.2%), oral malodor (26%), headache (26%), epistaxis (17.3%), face pain (4,3%), respectively. Nidus could be detected in 6 patients. The most frequent localization of rhinolith was between the inferior concha and the nasal septum (n=21). The most common concomitant sinonasal pathology in rhinolith was septum deviation (43.4%); and the second most common pathology was mucosal thickening (30.4%) in the maxillary sinus. The surgery type that accompanied rhinolith at the highest frequency was septoplasty (n=5). Other surgeries were septorhinoplasty (n=1), antrochoanal polyp excision (n=1), adenoidectomy (n=1).

CONCLUSION

The most common symptoms of rhinolith, which is a rare nasal pathology, are nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea. Radiological imaging together with a rigid endoscopy is important especially to evaluate the placement of rhinolith. In addition to this, radiological imaging, evaluation of the sinuses that are not sufficiently evaluated with rigid endoscope are important for planning the type of the operation and secondary surgical procedures which may accompany.