Unilateral choanal atresia and a co-existent long-standing medium-sized ipsilateral rhinolith in a 15-year old boy: Case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Unilateral choanal atresia is a congenital anomaly where a newborn baby is born with a unilateral imperforate posterior nare. In most of the time the diagnosis may be missed for years after birth. A rhinolith is an entity formed by gradual deposition and coating of different salts of calcium and magnesium over an endogenous or exogenous nidus in the nasal cavity. Coexistence of a rhinolith and choanal atresia is a very rare encounter in clinical practice and to the best of our knowledge this is perhaps the first documented case in Tanzania. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a 15-year old boy who was attended at our department with a longstanding history of left sided non-foul smelling nasal discharge which was noticed first when he was 5 years old but at the age of 13 years, he presented with ipsilateral nose bleeding and episodic foul smelling nasal discharge. He was attended at various peripheral health facilities without relief. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The patient underwent left sided nasal endoscopy where unilateral choanal atresia and a rhinolith were found. Transnasal endoscopic choanal atresia release and rhinolith removal were done under general anaesthesia in operating room. Postoperatively, he was kept on a nasal decongestant, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, intranasal corticosteroid and an analgesic. CONCLUSION: Clinicians must have a high index of suspicion so as to establish the diagnosis of unilateral choanal atresia in patients with persistent unilateral non-foul smelling discharge and also nasal foreign bodies in those with foul smelling nasal discharge.