Bone wax-induced nasal polyposis: a rare complication following frontal reconstructive surgery

Bone wax is a waxy substance used for mechanical control of bleeding from bone surfaces during surgical procedures. Bone wax can cause local inflammatory reactions like granuloma formation, infection, impaired bone healing, osteo-hypertrophy and rarely rhinosinusitis. Bone wax is widely used in neurosurgical and ENT procedures. Complications secondary to bone wax are difficult to ascertain on clinical grounds as it is largely thought to be inert. It can be challenging to diagnose this in imaging studies as bone wax can be mistaken for air or soft tissue. We report a case of unilateral nasal polyp secondary to the herniation of bone wax through the frontal recess into the nasal cavity.