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Buenos Aires, Argentina - An Argentinian woman, who had spent 35 years struggling with chronic nasal congestion, finally discovered the bizarre cause of her lifelong respiratory issue: a piece of adhesive tape lodged deep within her nasal cavity.
Candela Leybauld (35), a mother of two and a wellness influencer with over 105,000 followers in Buenos Aires, has lived her entire life with her right nostril almost completely obstructed. Since birth, she had adapted to breathing primarily through her mouth, a habit that became second nature during exercise and sleep. For decades, she simply attributed her condition to chronic rhinitis (비염) or a structural defect.
The turning point came a year ago when she suffered a severe bout of sinusitis (부비동염). While she initially delayed a CT scan due to circumstances, the symptoms returned a month ago, escalating into severe pain in her right cheek. Unable to tolerate the discomfort any longer, Leybauld sought a comprehensive medical examination.
During the initial check-up, the doctor noted a suspicious, polyp-like object inside her right nasal passage. A subsequent CT scan confirmed the presence of an approximately $8 times 6 text{ mm}$ partially solidified mass deep within her nostril. The radiological report described the image as a "partially calcified focus" and suggested the possibility of a "rhinolith" (비석), a stone-like formation that develops when foreign material remains in the nasal cavity for an extended period.
Leybauld returned to the hospital with the results, and the doctor began the removal process using an endoscope and forceps. The delicate operation lasted nearly an hour, during which the doctor carefully extracted the problematic object.
The mysterious mass turned out to be a piece of adhesive tape, folded and rolled up. Leybauld had no recollection of how or when the foreign body entered her nose. Seeking answers, she consulted her mother, who recalled that Leybauld experienced respiratory distress in the neonatal ward shortly after her birth in 1990.
Leybauld now speculates that a nasal tube might have been inserted during that period. She theorizes that a tiny fragment of the tape, perhaps used to secure the tube, was inadvertently left behind during its removal.
"It must have been there since I was a baby," she commented. "I had completely adapted to the difficulty of breathing through my nose from an early age, so I never viewed it as a major problem."
She explained the long-term impact: "Air barely passed through my right nostril. I had to breathe through my mouth whenever I exercised or slept." She noted that in the past, without the widespread public health information available today, she never fully realized the potential side effects of her persistent mouth-breathing.
The discovery has led to a profound realization for Leybauld: her lifelong respiratory discomfort was not a simple matter of constitution or an inevitable physical trait, but a direct consequence of a foreign object lodged in her body for 35 years. The tape's removal is expected to finally allow her to breathe freely through both nostrils.
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