The first case of nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma in an octogenarian: description and literature review

Abstract

Nasal Chondromesenchymal Hamartoma (NCMH) is a rare tumour of the sinonasal tract with a benign clinical behaviour. Locally destructive symptoms may occur. Due to the extreme rarity of this entity, only a few case reports are present in literature and most of them describe paediatric patients, usually under 12 years. Occasionally it may occur in adults. Symptoms are usually due to nasal localization, as nasal obstruction or mass effect or local compression caused by the lesion itself, as visual disturbances or facial pain. Cases described in the adult population are exceedingly rare. We describe the eldest case reported in literature of NCHM with peculiar features: geriatric patient, septal localization and asymptomatic clinic despite its voluminous size. The treatment of choice should be radical surgical resection however the best management strategy should be defined after multidisciplinary assessment of frailty in elderly patients.