[The role of concha bullosa in nasal pathologies].

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the relationship between the size of concha bullosa (CB) detected by coronal paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT) and the frequency of sinonasal symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 60 patients (39 females, 21 males; mean age 38.3 years; range 17 to 67 years) who had CB on CT scans and underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for symptoms of chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction and/or headache. The patients were evaluated in three groups according to the ratio of the cross-section area of CB to that of the nasal cavity (NC); hence, group 1, 0-14%; group 2, 15-29%; and group 3, = or >30%. The relationship of CB/NC with clinical symptoms and nasal pathologies were examined. RESULTS: The presenting complaints were sinusitis in 28 (46.7%), nasal obstruction in 56 (93.3%), and headache in 36 (60%) patients. Concha bullosa was on the right side in 16 (26.7%), on the left side in 13 (21.7%), and bilateral in 31 patients (51.7%). Of 91 CB, 29 (31.9%) were in group 1, 43 (47.3%) were in group 2, and 19 (20.9%) were in group 3. The cross-section area of CB was greater than 1 cm2 in 25.6%, and less than 0.5 cm2 in 53.4%. The most common pathology accompanying CB was nasal septal deviation (n=36, 60%). The distribution of symptoms and accompanying pathologies was similar in the three groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that symptoms and accompanying pathologies do not differ in patients with varying sizes of CB.