Inflammatory Polyp Arising From the Inferior Turbinate

Abstract

A 65-year-old healthy man was referred to our department for evaluation of a mass originating from right inferior turbinate, which was found incidentally during the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis at local clinic. He complained of purulent rhinorrhea, cough, and nasal obstruction. Among these symptoms, nasal obstruction had progressively worsened over 3 months. He denied any history of underlying diseases, facial trauma, or nasal surgery. Endoscopic examination of the right nasal cavity revealed a whitish, polypoid, irregular surfaced, and rubbery mass arising from the inferior turbinate (Figure 1). Computed tomography showed a 1 1 cm sized, poorly enhancing, soft tissue mass attached to the midportion of right inferior turbinate without bone erosion and bilateral maxillary sinusitis (Figure 2). The patient underwent transnasal endoscopic resection of the mass under local anesthesia (Figure 3). Before local injection, we confirmed the mass was attached to the inferomedial portion of the inferior turbinate in a pedunculated type. After the mass was resected with cold instrumentation, the tumor bed was cauterized with monopolar. Surgical pathology was consistent with inflammatory polyp. There has been no evidence of recurrence at the 6-month follow-up. Figure 1. Endoscopy reveals a whitish, polypoid, irregular surfaced, and rubbery mass arising from the right inferior turbinate. A, Endoscopic view at the initial visit. B, Endoscopic view after applied with 10% xylocaine-soaked pledgets 30 minutes before surgery.