title: A case of rhinolithiasis in botswana: a mineralogical, microscopic and chemical study.
abstract: A case of rhinolithiasis in Southeast Botswana was treated and after removal in hospital, the rhinolith was subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination, X-ray diffraction analysis, electron microscope analysis and partial botanical analysis. The rhinolith consists of a strongly elliptical core of calcium stearate (C36H70CaO4.H2O), surrounded by approximately 30 elongated concentric growth rings, consisting of sodium-containing whitlockite (Ca18Mg2(Na,H)(PO4)14). The different layers have various degrees of porosity and red staining, probably due to traces of amorphous iron oxide. The origin of the rhinolith started with a piece of plant material, lodged in the nose, which was replaced by calcium stearate, leaving some remnants of resistant epidermal plant tissue. During subsequent years, thin layers of whitlockite were deposited periodically around the core with the reddish brown bands representing deposition during the dry season when atmospheric dust rich in amorphous iron oxide is at its highest in Botswana.
authors.affiliation: Geology Department, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
authors.forename: Bernard W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Vink
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van Hasselt
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wormald
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002137:Calculi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D009666:Nose; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D008903:Minerals; D013229:Stearic Acids; C031183:stearic acid