Nasal polyps are whitish formations that appear inside the nasal passages or sinuses and have a progressive growth.
Causes
The cause of nasal polyps is unknown. There is usually an inflammatory factor that alters the function of the lining of the nose and causes the polyps to appear. In some patients, there may be an allergic factor, or they may develop due to some type of infection.
Symptoms
The most common symptom is nasal obstruction. This is usually progressive and depends on the size of the polyps. Small polyps may not present symptoms, but the larger they are, the more obstruction they produce. Other symptoms are loss of smell, mucus, which is usually watery, nasal voice or permanent congestion, frequent sneezing, loss of sense of smell and taste and feeling of having a cold.
Treatment
Nasal polyps are initially treated with medication, most commonly with oral cortisone and nasal spray or drops. This treatment aims to reduce the size of the polyps to improve the patient’s symptoms.
If the polyps are very large or medical treatment fails, surgery is chosen. This is performed under general anesthesia and works through the nostrils using the endoscope (endoscopic nasosinusal surgery). Admission is one day and recovery after this type of surgery usually takes about a week.
Prognosis
The removal of the polyps through surgery facilitates breathing through the nose. Even so, nasal polyps can sometimes return over time. Sometimes the loss of sense of smell or taste is not completely restored after treatment, either with medication or surgery.