Primary nasopharyngeal amyloidosis with nasal polyposis: Case report of a diagnostic challenge

BACKGROUND: Primary nasopharyngeal amyloidosis is a rare entity of localised amyloidosis. Patients usually present with symptoms that mimic other common nasal diseases. We report an unusual case of nasopharyngeal amyloidosis that co-exist with nasal polyposis at the same time. CASE PRESENTATION: We described a 72-year-old gentleman who presented with left-sided nasal obstruction, rhinorrhoea and hyposmia and right-sided hearing loss. Examination revealed bilateral intranasal polyposis with right lobular swelling at torus tubarius and right sided middle ear effusion. Biopsy revealed inflammatory nasal polyps with nasopharyngeal amyloidosis. Patient was treated successfully with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for nasal polyposis and an en bloc wide local excision of the torus tubarius with no signs of recurrence at one year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should have raised index of suspicion of a possible primary nasopharyngeal amyloidosis in patients presenting with nasopharyngeal mass with co-existing nasal polyposis to avoid delay in diagnosis and treatment.