Rhinoliths are calcareous formations found inside the nose, have rare occurrence and are easily confused with infection or obstruction of superior airways. OBJECTIVES: To report eight cases of rhinolithiasis, the long time to diagnose them, their fisiopathogenic mechanism, associated symptoms and the chosen treatment, and to provide a short bibliographic review about the theme. STUDY DESIGN: Series report. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors describe eight cases of rhinolithiasis seen at University Hospital Antônio Pedro, UFF, and at the Pires de Mello Clinic, Niterói, RJ, between January 1982 and July 2002. RESULTS: In this period eight cases of rhinolithiasis had occurred. Four of them were males and four females, ages from seven to 76 years old. The most frequent symptom related was nasal obstruction with mucopurulent and rhinorhea fetidness. An assymptomatic case was reported. In half of the cases rhinolith was not found through anterior rhinoscopia, and other diagnose methods were necessary to see the mass. Complementary exams like computerized tomography and simple x-ray of paranasal sinus were used to locate and measure the dimension of calcareous mass, and to study possible invasion of the neighboring structures. The removal of rhinolith was done with topic anesthesia in three cases. CONCLUSION: Rhinolithiasis are rare, nevertheless they must be always suspected in cases of long time nasal obstruction, nasal fetidness, mucopurulent rhinorhea and chronic headache.
rhinolith; rhinolithiasis; nasal foreign body
