Clinical profile of patients with atrophic rhinitis: descriptive study

Abstract

Background: Atrophic rhinitis is a chronic nasal disease, characterized by a triad of symptoms, namely foul odour, atrophy of nasal mucosa and crusts formation. The understanding of the pathophysiology and the management of atrophic rhinitis has long been a vexing problem for the treating clinician. Hence some authors have recommended adopting a capsular dissection technique in order to avoid these complications.

Methods: This present study was conducted in the Department of E.N.T, in which all the cases diagnosed as primary atrophic rhinitis and who were willing to undergo this surgery during the study period were taken for the study. Totally 20 patients were included for the study. Patients with secondary atrophic rhinitis were excluded.  

Results: In our study foul smelling nasal discharge and falling of crusts were the most commonest presenting symptoms which were present in all 20 patients (100%). The other presenting complaints were loss of sense of smell in 19 patients (95%), nasal obstruction in 16 patients (80%), bleeding from nose in 9 patients (45%), headache in 9 patients (45%) and maggots in 2 patients (10%).

Conclusions: The incidence of atrophic rhinitis is more in low, less in middle and nil in high socio economic status group of patients and smelling nasal discharge and falling of crusts were the most commonest presenting symptoms.