- Bifid inferior turbinate is a rare lateral nasal wall variant often overlooked on endoscopy or misidentified as uncinate or middle meatus abnormality.
- Case: 24-year-old woman with right nasal obstruction, headache, rhinorrhoea, snoring; CT showed inferomedial left inferior turbinate duplication plus turbinate hypertrophy, septal deviation, concha bullosa.
- Preoperative CT recognition is essential for accurate classification, surgical planning and preservation of endoscopic landmarks when bifid inferior turbinate coexists with other obstructive abnormalities.
J Surg Case Rep. 2026 Aug 8;2026(8):rjag689. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjag689. eCollection 2026 Aug.
ABSTRACT
Bifid inferior turbinate is a rare anatomical variant of the lateral nasal wall that may be overlooked on nasal endoscopy or mistaken for an abnormality of the uncinate process or middle meatus. A 24-year-old woman presented with long-standing right-sided nasal obstruction, frontal headache, rhinorrhea, snoring, sleep disturbance, and allergic rhinitis. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated an inferomedially oriented duplication of the left inferior turbinate, bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy, an S-shaped septal deviation, and concha bullosa. She underwent septoplasty, inferior turbinoplasty, and concha bullosa resection. Preoperative recognition of bifid inferior turbinate was important because it occurred alongside common obstructive abnormalities requiring surgery. We also provide an updated review of reported cases, focusing on the relationship with the uncinate process, anatomical orientation, and implications for surgical planning. Careful CT assessment may prevent misclassification and help preserve key endoscopic landmarks.
PMID:42571544 | PMC:PMC13452474 | DOI:10.1093/jscr/rjag689
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