[Adenomatoid hamartoma of the ethmoid sinus: one case report].

INTRODUCTION: Hamartomas are non-malignant malformations or inborn errors of tissue development. In the head and neck region, especially in the nasal cavity and the ethmoid sinuses, they are relatively rare. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case of respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma of the ethmoid sinus and a review of literature are reported in order to describe the diagnostic and therapeutic management of this tumour. RESULTS: A 74-year-old man complaining for unilateral nasal obstruction for years was referred to our institution. Clinical and radiological studies revealed a large intra-nasal tumour, osteolytic in nature, arising from the right ethmoidal sinus. Fifteen months after a complete excision of the tumour using an endoscopic procedure, the nasal cavity was free of tumour. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Very rare and classified as non-malignant tumours, hamartomas are composed of excessive proliferation of one or more cellular components specific to a given tissue. They can grow out of any part of the body for example the surface epithelium, seromucous glands and vessels. Hamartomas commonly originate from the lung, kidney and intestine. Their localisation in the nasal cavity, especially in the ethmoid sinus, is unusual, but it is really important to be known to distinguish hamartomas from papillomas and adenocarcinomas not to perform useless and destructive surgery.