Supernumerary nostrils: a case report and review

Supernumerary or accessory nostrils are a very rare type of congenital nasal anomaly, with only a few cases reported in the literature. They can be associated with such malformations as facial clefts and they can be unilateral or bilateral, with most cases reported being unilateral. The accessory nostril may or may not communicate with the ipsilateral nasal cavity, probably depending on the degree of embryological progression of the anomaly. A case of simple supernumerary left nostril with no nasal cavity communication and with a normally developed nose is presented. The surgical treatment is described and the different speculative theories related to the embryogenesis of supernumerary nostrils are also reviewed.