title: Rhinitis caseosa, nasal cholesteatoma and allergic fungal sinusitis.
abstract: The recently described Syndrome of Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS) has many similarities with the previously described entity of rhinitis Caseosa (synonym-Nasal Cholesteatoma). 28 patients treated over a 6 year period with a diagnosis of rhinitis caseosa/nasal cholesieatoma have been retrospectively reviewed with regard to their clinical and radiological features, operative findings and microbiologic and histopathologual features.All cases presented with nasal obstruction and nasal polyposis. CT scanning indicated intracranil extension and intra-orbital extension m 9 cases each. Surgical debridetnent with establishment of sinus drainage led to the universal initial relief of symptoms in all cases. 26 of 28 cases have remained free of recurrence on prolonged follow-up (minimum follow-up one year).Despite these cases demonstrating clinical, radiologital, morphological and histological similarities with the Syndrome of Allergic Fungal Sinustitis, in only 2 cases was a fungal aetiology confirmed by history. The clinical syndrome of "Rhinitis Caseosa" is described and its relationship with the Allergic Fungal Sinusitis (AFS) syndrome and the "AFS-hke" Syndrome explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110 029 New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thakar
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bahadur
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Misra
keywords: Allergic Fungal sinusitis; Cholesteatoma; Rhinitis Caseosa; Tomography; X-ray computed