A female presented with long standing nasal obstruction. She also complaints about comments from her friends telling about foul smell coming from her nose which she could not recognise. On evaluation, atrophic rhinitis is diagnosed. What can be the etiology in this patient to develop secondary atrophic rhinitis?

Specific infections like syphilis, lupus, leprosy, and rhinoscleroma may cause destruction of the nasal structures leading to atrophic changes. Atrophic rhinitis can also result from long-standing purulent sinusitis, radiotherapy to nose or excessive surgical removal of turbinates. Extreme detion of nasal septum may be accompanied by atrophic rhinitis on the wider side.