Chondrosarcoma of the nasal septum: a case report

The nasal septum is a particularly rare site of origin of a chondrosarcoma. A 55-year-old man presented with complaints of nasal obstruction and anosmia of one year duration. A fragile mass was detected in the left nasal cavity. Computed tomography showed a large hypodense mass with scattered calcifications, eroding both ethmoid sinuses and extending to the left orbit. Following a biopsy, the tumor was resected via a lateral rhinotomy approach. No evidence for recurrent disease was detected during a three-year follow-up period. Although unusual in the nasal septum, chondrosarcoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis of calcified intranasal masses.