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Atrophic rhinitis is a chronic debilitating nasal mucosal disease of unknown etiology. It is characterized by progressive nasal mucosal atrophy, crusting, fetor and enlargement of the nasal space with paradoxical congestion. The disease induces bilateral nasal obstruction and a persistent foul odour of which the patient and by-standers are painfully aware. Primary atrophic rhinitis has decreased markedly in incidence in the last century. However the prevalence still remains high in developing countries like India. Histopathological features allow this entity to be distinguished from chronic non-specific hypertrophic rhinitis, which may have a cell-mediated immune basis underlying its pathogenesis. Histopathological examination of primary atrophic rhinitis was performed on biopsy material from 30 patients. Mucosal atrophy, squamous metaplasia, and chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate were found to characterize this disease.