Adult nasal gliomas

Abstract

AbstractBackground:Nasal gliomas are congenital neurogenic tumours that are mostly diagnosed in the perinatal period. They occur in 1 in 20 000–40 000 live births. Cases reported in adulthood are rare and the management in adults is controversial.Case report:A 55-year-old female had an incidental diagnosis of nasal glioma after routine endoscopic sinus surgery and polypectomy. Post-operatively, there was symptomatic improvement, but it was complicated by a cerebrospinal fluid leak.Conclusion:Most adults who present with nasal gliomas have non-specific nasal symptoms, and diagnosis is made from an incidental finding of heterotopic glial tissue. The management of nasal gliomas in adults is contentious. In contrast, management in the paediatric population is better established and the treatment is surgical excision. The relevant literature is reviewed.