Rhinoscleroma

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A rare chronic disease caused by bacterial infection, characterized by nasal tissue swelling and hardening, typically affecting the nose and face
2. An infectious condition that leads to a distinctive thickening of the skin and mucous membranes, primarily in the nasal region
3. A disease marked by progressing fibrosis and inflammatory symptoms, often resulting in a formidable change in nasal structure and appearance

Etymology: Rhinoscleroma is a compound built from two Greek elements. The first, "rhinos", means "nose", the same root that gives English "rhinoceros" (nose-horned) and "rhinoplasty". The second, "scleroma", comes from "skleros", meaning "hard", and refers to the hardened, thickened tissue the disease produces. Put together, the name describes a condition in which the nose becomes hard and firm. The disease itself is a chronic infection of the nasal passages and upper airway, and its progression is what gives the word its clinical weight. Over time, the scarring and inflammation can reshape the nose dramatically, which is why the name points so directly at the tissue changes rather than at the infection that drives them.

Synonyms: chronic granulomatous disease