Supernumerary Nostril: A Case Report and Review

Abstract

Supernumerary nostril is a very rare congenital anomaly, which includes additional nostril with or without accessory cartilage. In the present case of the left supernumerary nostril, a small cavity of around 3 mm diameter and accessory lower lateral cartilage were present. The cavity was lined with mucous membrane and filled with mucoid discharge .Nasal endoscopy of accessory nasal cavity revealed that it was small as compared to normal nasal cavity and did not communicate with the ipsilateral nasal cavity. The diameter of the normal anterior nasal opening was less on left side as compared to right side. Unilateral supernumerary nostril may occur because of the fissuring of the lateral nasal process during fetal growth.

Triple nostrils in a calf

“…The previously reported lesion may be the bovine equivalent of proboscis lateralis, which occurs in 1:1,000,000 to 1:100,000 of human newborns and is characterized by a soft-tissue tube-or trunk-like appendage projecting from the surface of the face, near the nose [1]. On the other hand, the present findings may be analogous to supernumerary nostrils, which may result from an abnormal formation of the nose and nasal cavity during embryogenesis due to duplication of the nasal placodes (two ectodermal thickenings arising on each side of the dependent part of the frontonasal process) or fissuring of the lateral nasal process (in which the alae of the nose are formed together with the primitive nasal cavity) [7]. The abnormality of the nose observed in the present case was characterized by the following features: (1) presence of a hair-bearing region, histologically resembling normal hair-bearing skin located on the muzzle between the middle and left nostrils; (2) formation of a bone-like structure emanating from the deep parts of the hair-bearing region of the muzzle to the nasal septum and separating the middle and left nostrils; (3) abnormal curvature of the nasal septum, resulting in a narrower right nasal cavity; and (4) deformation of the nasal bone.…”

Supernumerary nostril: a case report

“…They assumed that if an accessory olfactory pit appears either above or below the normal location of the placode, consequently, a supernumerary nostril will be formed. In 2009, Kashyap and Khan reported a case of supernumerary nostril on the left side with an accessory alar cartilage [8]. An accessory cavity was smaller than the normal cavity and was not connected with the ipsilateral nasal cavity.…”

Congenital hydrocephalus, corpus callosum agenesis, and prosencephalic cyst with supernumerary nostril: A neurocristopathy

“…[ 9 ] Kashyap and Khan ascribed the presence of alar cartilage from the accessory nostril to be due to fissuring of lateral nasal process, thereby creating a duplication of segments. [ 20 ]…”

“…[9] Kashyap and Khan ascribed the presence of alar cartilage from the accessory nostril to be due to fissuring of lateral nasal process, thereby creating a duplication of segments. [20] This, "fissuring of the lateral nasal process" during development is the most accepted and cited theory by various authors. [19,20,21] This theory may explain the presence of supernumerary nostril occurring in isolation but fails to explain the anomalies associated which are present in significant (45%) percentage of patients and also presence of hydrocephalus as seen in our case.…”