Longstanding rhinolith leading to anatomical alterations of the ipsilateral inferior nasal meatus and turbinate

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 in the concha bullosa as a rare location: a case report

The presence of a rhinolith is a rare condition, which can cause long-standing symptoms, such as rhinorrhea, foul-smelling discharge, nasal obstruction, and headache. A rhinolith is usually easily diagnosed by a clinical examination and a paranasal computed tomographic scan. Rhinoliths are usually found in nasal cavities, but rare locations are also possible. We report a patient who was evaluated in our clinic for nasal obstruction, headache, and snoring symptoms. A clinical examination showed no major findings, but a paranasal computed tomographic scan of coronal sections showed a hyperdense mass within the right concha bullosa. A rhinolith in the concha bullosa is a rare condition. Our case is the third case of a rhinolith in the concha bullosa to be reported in the literature.

Large Rhinolith Mimicking Atypical Odontogenic Pain: Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature

Rhinoliths are rare calcified entities in the nasal fossa, frequently originating around a nidus near the midway point in the inferior meatus, where the passage is the narrowest. They can be clinically asymptomatic and undetected for years. In this study, we present a rare case of large rhinolith mimicking atypical odontogenic pain in a 40-year-old Caucasian female in the left nasal cavity. The lesion was detected in the CBCT and removed uneventfully.

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.

Giant 'staghorn' rhinolith in a 15-year-old girl

We describe a case of a 15-year-old girl who presented to our clinic with long-standing right-sided rhinorrhoea which was occasionally foul-smelling and blood-stained with no other symptom of note. She had been treated many times with antibiotics. On examination, a rhinolith was discovered impacted posteriorly in right nasal cavity with mucopurulent discharge. Plain X-ray and later CT scan of paranasal sinuses confirmed the diagnosis but it was found to be large in size with irregular shape like a 'staghorn'. It was removed under general anaesthesia and she recovered uneventfully. We also describe the review of literature.

Rhinolith mimicking a toothache

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Rhinoliths are uncommon clinical entities.

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Toothache is not known to be the typical presenting symptom, and has yet to be reported.

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The pathogenesis of rhinolith remains unclear.

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Symptomatic lesions will require surgical removal.

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Although rare, rhinolith should be included as a differential diagnosis of atypical odontogenic pain in the absence of obvious clinical dental pathology.

Introduction

A rhinolith is a calcified mass formed as a result of solidification of mucous foreign objects and gradual accretion of mineral salts. Toothache is not known to be the typical presenting symptom, and to our knowledge, has yet to be reported.

Case report

A 42-year old female referred by her general dental practitioner with a four month history of constant pain of the unrestored upper right central incisor tooth. Incidentally, she also gave a one year history of right-sided sinonasal congestion and intermittent blood stained rhinorrhea.

Discussion

Rhinoliths are uncommon and rarely encountered in clinical practice. This is due to the fact that they remain asymptomatic, and undetected for many years. They may present as incidental radio-opaque lesions in the nasal maxillary antrum on routine dental panoramic radiographs.

Conclusion

Rhinolith should be part of the differential diagnosis of atypical anterior maxillary dental pain in the absence of obvious clinical dental pathology.

Large rhinolith causing nasal obstruction

Rhinoliths are calcified masses located in the nasal cavity and may cause symptoms such as nasal obstruction, fetid odour and facial pain. They are usually diagnosed incidentally on radiographic examinations or depending on the symptoms. In this paper we report a 27-year-old Caucasian woman with a calcified mass in the right nasal cavity causing nasal obstruction, anosmia and facial pain. The calcified mass was removed by endonasal approach.