2. • DEFINITION: It is a chronic inflammation of
the nasal mucosa resulting in atrophy ,
squamous metaplasia and crust formation
due to periarterial fibrosis and end arteritis.
• Key-points:
– Atrophy of the nasal mucosa and turbinate.
– Scanty viscid secretion
– Loss of ciliated columnar epithelium
– Crust formation
3. • TYPE:
– Primary
– Secondary: infection or surgery
• Long-standing purulent sinusitis.
• Iatrogenic: Radical turbinectomy,
maxillectomy, post-radiotherapy.
• Tuberculosis, Syphilis, Leprosy,
Rhinoscleroma.
• Deviated nasal septum (atrophy in
wider nasal cavity).
• FORM:
– Rhinitis sicca : mild form
– Severe form : ozaena
• Turbinante atrophy
• Squamous metaplasia
• Degeneration of goblet cells
• Secondary growth of saprophytes
6. ETIOLOGY
PRIMARY : Not known
1. Developmental:
– Congenitally spacious nasal cavity
– Poor pneumatization of maxillary antrum
2. Heredity: 30% cases autosomal inheritance; 67% = Dominant, 33% = Recessive.
3. Endocrinal: estrogen progesterone imbalance, common in female after puberty; Symptoms
aggravated due to estrogen deficiency.
4. Race: white & yellow races >>> negroes
5. Malnutrition: chronic iron deficiency anemia, vitamin A & D deficiency
6. Chronic inflammation
7. Nasal and sinus suppuration: Klebsiella ozaenae (Perez & Abel bacillus), Coccobacillus
foetides ozaena, Bacillus mucosus, Diphtheroids, Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus vulgaris, E.
coli, Staphylocococci & Streptococci.
8. More common: Blood group O and B
9. Immunological factor: Altered cellular immunity and loss of tolerance of nasal tissue may
trigger destructive autoimmune process on nasal mucosa.
10. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) causes vasodilatation & hyperaemic
decalcification of turbinates followed by vasoconstriction.
11. Surfactant deficiency in nasal secretion: ciliary dysfunction + stasis of nasal secretions.
7. CLINICAL FEATURES
• Age : Onset after puberty, 14-16 years
• Sex: more in females
• Race: Rare in negroes
9. Causes of Anosmia
• Loss of olfactory neural elements
• Thick secretion & crusts over olfactory area
• Degeneration of secretory glands → scanty mucous for dissolving odoriferous
materials
Causes of nasal obstruction
• Blunting of sensory nerve endings
• Crust formation
• Lack of eddy current formation in roomy cavity
10.
11. INVESTIGATIONS
1. Radiology: X ray PNS, CT scan of the PNS
2. Hematology: ESR, Sugar, Estrogen, Progesterone,
Serology; Serum iron, vitamin-A/ D & protein levels-
malnutrition
3. Pathology: Nasal swab- smear or HPE of nasal mucosa.
4. Saccharine test: ď‚Żed nasal muco-ciliary clearance time.
5. Culture & sensitivity of nasal discharge.
12.
13. There is a metaplasia of columnar or
ciliated epithelium to squamous
epithelium with decrease in the
number of compound alveolar
glands. Histopathologically, there
are 2 types of atrophic rhinitis:
Type I: Characterized by endarteritis
and periarteritis, which may be as a
result of chronic infection. These
patients may benefit by vasodilator
effect of estrogen therapy.
Type II: Characterized by
vasodilation of capillaries which
may become worse by estrogen
therapy.
HISTOPATHOLOGY
14. D/D
1. Syphilis
2. Lupus
3. Leprosy
4. Tuberculosis
5. Rhinoscleroma
6. Sinusitis
D/D for ozaena D/D for dry nose
Atrophic rhinitis Atrophic rhinitis
Purulent sinusitis Rhinitis sicca
Nasal foreign body Radiotherapy
Rhinitis caseosa Sjogren’s syndrome
Malignancy
15. SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS TO RULE OUT OTHER D/Ds:
1. Chest X-ray: T.B., bronchiectasis, lung abscess
2. Serology for syphilis: V.D.R.L., T.P.H.A., T.P.I.
3. Sputum for AFB, Mantoux test: T.B.
4. Nasal smear study: Leprosy
5. Complement fixation test & biopsy: Rhinoscleroma
18. ACTION OF PLACENTAL EXTRACT
Progesterone
leads to
hyperplasia
of nasal
mucosa &
glandular
secretion
Estrogen
leads to
vasodilatation
Biogenic
stimulator of
metabolic &
regenerative
process
Intra-
placental
serum boosts
up immunity
Mechanical
narrowing of
nasal
passage
19. SURGICAL TREATMENT
• Aim:
– Decrease size of nasal cavity
– Decrease air entry
– Increase lubrication
1. Narrowing of nasal cavity:
a) At lateral wall:
i. Dermofat graft
ii. Bone cartilage graft
iii. Synthetic teflon paste or acrylic mould
b) At floor: placental graft submucosally
c) Young’s and modified young’s operation
2. Transplantation of parotid duct