Nasal glioma: a case report.

Nasal gliomas are rare, benign, congenital tumors that are thought to be the result of an abnormality in embryonic development. Three types of clinical presentations have been recognized: extranasal (60%), intranasal (30%), and combined (10%). Clinically, these masses are firm, noncompressible, nonpulsatile, gray or purple lesions that obstruct the nasal cavity intranasally and cause deformity extranasally. Histologically, these tumors are made up of astrocytic neuroglial cells interlaced with fibrous and vascular connective tissue that is covered with skin or nasal respiratory mucosa. The preferred treatment is excision via a frontal craniotomy approach for those patients whose gliomas have an intracranial connection, for those patients who have cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and for those who have recurrent episodes of meningitis. Otherwise, a transfacial lateral rhinotomy is advised. In this article, we describe a case of a nasal glioma that was removed via a lateral rhinotomy.