A 10-Year Retrospective Review of the Histology of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Unilateral Nasal Polyps

Background The aim of this study was to determine the histological diagnosis of unilateral nasal polyps and to determine the prevalence of neoplastic pathologies. This study also assessed difference in pathologies whether patients presented symptomatically or were asymptomatic (if they had a mass found incidentally for unrelated throat symptoms).  Method This was a 10-year retrospective study of patients undergoing unilateral nasal mass surgery between 2004 and 2014 at a UK district general hospital. We recorded patient demographics, laterality, histology, symptoms, clinical suspicion, and imaging findings. Results  123 patients were included who underwent unilateral surgery between 2004 and 2014 (male n=83, female n=40; mean age 56 years ± 19.5). The majority were of inflammatory origin (n=92; 74.8%). The most common benign neoplastic cause was inverted papilloma (n=19; 15.4%). A number of malignant neoplastic causes were also found, including: melanoma (n=3; 2.44%), olfactory neuroblastoma (n=2; 1.63%), and other non-inflammatory masses (n=7; 5.69%). 15 of these masses were found incidentally, with 14 being inflammatory, and one an olfactory neuroblastoma; therefore, 6.67% of our incidental unilateral nasal masses were found to be of neoplastic pathology. Conclusion This study's findings support the continued practice of routine biopsy of unilateral nasal masses for histological diagnosis, irrespective of whether they are symptomatic or found incidentally. The accuracy of both clinical suspicion and radiological suspicion on CT scans is not adequate to alter this practice.