Basrah Journal of Surgery

Abstract

NASAL GLIOMA, A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE
REVIEW���������.Nasal glioma (also known as nasal glial heterotopia) has been used to describe a congenital
benign tumor of the nasal region containing neural tissue. It arises from failure of closure of
foramen caecum at about the third week of gestation. The patient described in this report is
an 18 months old girl who presented with a nasal bridge swelling for three months. The
differential diagnosis included nasal encephalocele, nasal dermoid and epidermoid cysts. All
are due to failure of ectoderm and neuroectoderm embryologic separation. CT scan and MRI
imaging can be used to look for probable concomitant intracranial tumors and the existence of
a connection between nasal tumor and the brain. Surgical resection is the usual method of
managing such pathologies. In this case, an open rhinoplasty approach was used to resect
this mass after the radiologic evaluation was complete.