Doctor removes numerous ‘fungal balls’ from Taiwanese woman’s nose
A 50-year-old woman in Taiwan recently sought medical help after she suffered from persistent postnasal drip and a strange “foot odour” coming from her nose.
After nearly three months of discomfort, a doctor during examination discovered a large number of fungal balls in her right sinus.
CT scan reveals fungal balls in right sinus
Taiwanese otolaryngologist Dr Chen Shixi (name transliterated) recently shared the case online, revealing that when the woman sought medical attention, he suspected her condition went beyond a simple case of sinusitis.
According to 8world News and ETtoday, a CT scan revealed that the woman’s right sinus was filled with fungal balls. Dr Chen promptly diagnosed her with fungal sinusitis and recommended immediate surgery.
Source: ETtoday
Dr Chen explained that fungal sinusitis occurs when mould develops in the sinuses due to a fungal infection.
Taiwan’s humid climate can contribute to airborne fungi, which are typically cleared by the nasal passages and immune system.
However, poor nasal hygiene or a weakened immune system can cause fungi to grow in the nasal cavity, leading to this condition.
Fungal sinusitis can be deadly
Fungal sinusitis can be classified into two types: non-invasive and invasive.
While people with a healthy immune system may only experience localised discomfort, those with a weakened immune system face more severe, life-threatening complications.
Dr Chen explained that in this case, the examination revealed that fungal balls had completely filled the woman’s right maxillary sinus, with calcification present — a characteristic of fungal infections.
The condition was classified as non-invasive, meaning it had not yet spread beyond the sinus.
However, once fungal balls grow too large or beyond the sinus opening, they are difficult to expel naturally and require surgical removal.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, if left untreated, invasive fungal sinus infections can damage the lining of the nose or spread to the eyes and brain. Some types of these infections can lead to severe health complications, including death.
Non-invasive symptoms may include a decreased sense of smell, fever, nasal inflammation, mucus with a consistency resembling rubber cement, and foul odours (such as burning or rotting) that only the affected person can detect.
More severe invasive symptoms include changes to skin colour, facial numbness and changes to vision.
For this case, Dr Chen performed endoscopic sinus surgery to enlarge the sinus opening and used irrigation tools to remove the fungal build-up completely.
According to him, the patient recovered and went on to lead a normal life.
Also read: Woman with trouble breathing visits Thailand hospital, doctors find 100 maggots in nasal cavity
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Featured image adapted from ETtoday & interstid on Canva for illustration purposes only.
