A 12-year-old boy presents with a single unilateral pale polyp filling the right nasal cavity and extending back to the choana. There are no other polyps, no allergy history, and CT shows a smooth mass arising from the right maxillary antrum passing through an enlarged ostium. What is the standard treatment?

• A Long-term intranasal steroids alone, since these polyps regress spontaneously
• B Endoscopic polypectomy with removal of the antral portion of the polyp ✓
• C Caldwell-Luc operation with radical antrum stripping
• D Biopsy to exclude malignancy before any intervention

Explanation

This is an antrochoanal polyp (Killian polyp), a solitary benign polyp arising from maxillary antral mucosa that passes through the accessory ostium into the nasal cavity and towards the choana. It occurs in children and young adults and does not respond to steroids. Complete endoscopic removal, including the antral component, is curative and prevents recurrence. Caldwell-Luc is obsolete for this indication, and the classical appearance makes malignancy unlikely.

Reference: Dhingra's Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.