Report of rare bilateral nasolabial cysts.

PURPOSE: Nasolabial cysts are usually unilateral and are quite rare, while bilateral cysts are even rarer.

PATIENT AND METHOD: Our report concerns a 48-year-old female with bilateral nasolabial cysts. After many years of misdiagnosis she was finally referred to our clinic with a subnasal swelling of unknown origin.

RESULT: Evaluation of the patient's medical history, clinical examination and of a previous CT scan led to the diagnosis of a nasolabial cyst, which was later confirmed by histological examination. Treatment involved the surgical excision.

CONCLUSION

A complete surgical excision is recommended using a sublabial approach as the treatment of choice, although transnasal endoscopic marsupialization seems to be a simple and effective alternative. It has been shown that after successful marsupialization, the nasolabial cyst is converted to an air-containing paranasal sinus.