Abstract
Nasoalveolar cyst are considered rare. As their names implies, these structures are found in a borderline area where they may be seen by otolaryngologists. A 42-year-old woman was referred to our hospital, because of a swelling and tender lesion in the nasal vestibule. It expended anteriorly causing elevation of the nasal ala. Plain radiogram by an occlusal film showed slight thinning in the 2nd and 3rd upper incisor tooth region. The contrast radiogram, in which 60% urografin was introduced as the contrast medium, revealed a 3×2cm oval radiopaque shadow in the maxilla at the nasoalveolar region. The radiopaque shadow had no relation to the teeth and the maxillary antrum.
About 3ml of yellowish serous fluid was aspirated by puncturing.
The lesion was diagnosed a nasoalveolar cyst. The entire lesion was enucleated by surgery from the patient under local anesthesia. The lesion appeared to be surrounded by the connective tissue.
Microscopic examination of the sections in the surgical specimen disclosed a cystic cavity lined with the ciliated columnar epithelium approximately three to five cell layers thick.
