Nasal Vestibulitis and Vestibular Furunculosis: a systematic review about two common nasal infections and considerations about correct diagnosis and management

Background. Nasal vestibulitis (NV) and nasal vestibular furunculosis (NVF) are two infectious processes of the nasal vestibule, sharing common etiology, the same risk of complications, and similar treatment while remaining two different pathological entities. Methods. We performed a comprehensive literature research on NV and NVF in PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases, with the aim to review the evidence on these two conditions and discuss the therapeutic approaches. Results. We identified a total of 248 records; according to our inclusion/exclusion criteria, 27 of them, published over a period of 59 years (1962-2021), were included in this review. Conclusion. NV and NVF are reported to be common conditions, with well-known etiological agents and risk factors. The diagnosis is clinical and topical antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment. Complications appear to be infrequent. Further studies are necessary to clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms and the exact prevalence of both conditions.