Morphoclinical aspects of chronic hypertrophic rhinitis (literature review)

Abstract

Summary. Objectives. Currently, chronic nasal obstruction due to hypertrophic rhinitis represents one of the most common problems in rhinology. Thus, it is important to mention that the etiology of the increase in size of the lower nasal turbinates can be varied and must be well specified since the same aspect of the clinical picture can have a completely different substrate from a morphological point of view. In-depth knowledge of the changes in the structure of the turbinates is necessary and useful to form a correct diagnostic and therapeutic approach. The purpose of the given study was to perform a detailed analysis of the contemporary data of the specialized literature in order to determine the morphological conformation of the nasal mucosa in chronic hypertrophic rhinitis. Materials and methods. For the research, the articles available in the electronic resources, on various specialist platforms, with open access, were used. Subsequently, the articles with relevant topics for the subject were selected and analyzed depending on the common aspects necessary to carry out the study. Results and discussions. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis represents an important medical management problem in recent years. These have led to an increase in efforts in terms of a better understanding of both the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the appearance of this pathology, as well as the most appropriate diagnostic methods and the most reliable therapeutic means for an effective treatment of this conditions. Conclusions. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis represents the increase in volume of the nasal mucosa and implicitly the nasal turbinates, with the reduction of the respiratory space. It affects both adults and children but is more common after the age of 20. The causes that lead to the appearance of chronic hypertrophic rhinitis are not exactly known. Whatever the trigger, however, the result is the same – hyperactivity at the level of the nerve endings, which is manifested by the enlargement of the nasal mucosa. The goal of treatment is to reduce the symptoms caused by the inflammation of the affected tissues and to increase the patient's quality of life.