Primary nasopharyngeal tuberculosis in a patient with the complaint of snoring

Abstract

Isolated nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare condition, even in endemic tuberculosis areas. The most common presentation of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is with a cervical lymphadenopathy followed by nasal discharge or obstruction.

Here we present a 58-year-old patient with nasopharyngeal tuberculosis whose only complaint was snoring. Her oropharyngeal and anterior rhinoscopic examination was normal. On endoscopic examination, mucosal oedema and hyperaemia of the nasopharynx was observed. There was no cervical lymphadenopathy. The tuberculin skin test was positive and histopathological examination of the biopsy taken from posterior nasopharyngeal wall supported the diagnosis of tuberculosis. After anti-tuberculosis therapy, the snoring stopped and the nasopharyngeal examination was normal.