Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast. My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about nasal polyps.

Then you can find written notes on this topic at zero to finals.com slash nasal polyps or in the ear, nose and throat section of the zero definals surgery book.

So let's get straight into it.

Nasal polyps are growths of the nasal mucosa that can occur in the nasal cavity or the sinuses.

They're often associated with inflammation, particularly with chronic rhinitis, rinitis being inflammation in the nose.

They grow slowly and they gradually obstruct the nasal passage.

Polyps are usually bilateral. Unilateral polyps are a red flag and should raise suspicions of tumours.

A tom tip for you, if you remember one thing about nasal polyps, remember that unilateral polyps are concerning for malignancy,

and they require a specialist referral for further assessment.

Let's talk about the associations.

Nasal polyps are associated with several conditions, including chronic rhinitis or chronic sinusitis,

asthma, samtas triad, which is nasal polyps, asthma and aspirin allergy or intolerance, cystic fibrosis,

and eocinophilic granulomatosis with polyangitis, which is also known as Cherg-Strauss

syndrome.

Let's talk about the presentation.

Nasal polyps may be found on examination in patients who are presenting with chronic rhinocinocitis,

difficulty breathing through the nose or a feeling of nasal congestion,

snoring, nasal discharge, or a loss of sense of smell, which is called anosmia.

You can examine inside the nose using a nasal speculum which holds the nostrils open so that you can see inside much more clearly.

Alternatively, you can use an otoscope, which is normally used to look inside the ears,

but can be used quite well to look inside the nose if you have a large speculum attached.

A specialist can perform nasal endoscopy, using a tiny camera to visualize the nasal cavity in detail and assess any polyps.

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