Premium
Hamartomas of the nose and nasopharynx
Author(s) -
GraemeCook Fiona,
Pilch Ben Zion
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.2880140413
Subject(s) - nose , medicine , malignancy , biopsy , hamartoma , resection , surgery , cancer , radiology , pathology
Abstract Hamartomas are easily diagnosed entities when occurring in the lung and gastrointestinal tract. In the nose and nasopharynx, where such lesions are rare, biopsy of a hamartoma containing epithelial proliferation may lead to a misdiagnosis of cancer, with resultant radical and deforming surgery, particularly if they present in adulthood. We encountered three such lesions over 2 years in the Massachusetts Eye Ear Infirmary, and another was retrieved from the recent files. All presented with nonspecific obstructive symptoms of the nose or nasopharynx, and were treated by resection. Follow‐up is short, (4 months to 1 year), but in no case has there been recurrence. The clinical diagnosis was malignancy in 2 cases, inflammatory polyp in one. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.