Clinical Observations in Nasal and Paranasal Sinus Mycosis; A Case Report.

There has been an increase in the incidence of nasal and paranasal sinus mycosis in recent years. We reviewed 32 cases of nasal and paranasal sinus mycosis treated at our hospital between 1987 and 1996. The 32 patients (9 males and 23 females) ranged in age from 25 to 82 years with a mean age of 61.0 years. The most common observations in patient clinical histories were hypertension followed by gynecopathy, appendicitis, heart disease and diabetes. The most common chief complaint was cheek pain and cheek discomfort followed by rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction and postnasal drip. The mycosis lesion was located in the maxillary sinus in 27 cases, the nasal cavity in 5 cases and the ethomoid sinus in 1 case. In all cases, the diseases were unilateral. A CT scan was performed in 24 cases. In 16 cases, high density areas similar to regions of calcification were seen in the maxillary sinuses and in 9 cases, bone destruction shadows were seen in the walls of the maxillary sinuses. A diagnosis of mycosis was made in all cases by pathological examination of mucosa taken during surgery or biopsy specimens. There was no evidence of mycosis in cultures of rhinorrhea, necrotic debris or mucosa tissue of the nasal cavity or paranasal sinus in 13 cases. We found aspergillosis in 24 cases, candidiasis in 7 cases, and mucor mycosis in 1 case. In 30 cases, surgical procedures were performed and in 2 cases, only antral irrigation was performed.