Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis presented as a unilateral nasal mass: A first case report from Thailand and literature review

BACKGROUND: Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a relatively new inflammatory sinonasal disease. Prevalence of the disease is reported to be highly different across Asia. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old Thai male came to our hospital with left-sided nasal obstruction. Endoscopic examination found a mass originated from the left sphenoethmoidal recess. Incisional biopsy result of the mass indicated an inflammatory process and high level of serum specific IgE to several aeroallergens was found. Based on the biopsy results and other investigations, the diagnosis of AFRS was made and the patient was treated successfully with endoscopic sinus surgery and postoperative systemic/topical steroids. DISCUSSION: While AFRS is quite common in some regions, the disease is rarely encountered in Thailand and can be presented as a unilateral lesion, mimicking a tumor mass, which could lead to an incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. CONCLUSION: Even though AFRS is rarely reported in our country, it still can be found and might be recognized falsely as a neoplastic process. High level of awareness of the disease features could help to minimize inappropriate disease management.