Various causes for frontal sinus obstruction

Han, Joseph K.; Ghanem, Tamer; Lee, Bonmyong; Gross, Charlie W.

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.02.009

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 2 , Pages 80-82, March 2009

Various causes for frontal sinus obstruction

Joseph K. Han, MD
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA
- Corresponding author. Division of Rhinology and Endoscopic Sinus and Skull-base Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA. Tel.: +1 757 446 5979; fax: +1 757 624 2264.
Tamer Ghanem, MD, PhD
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Bonmyong Lee, BS
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
Charlie W. Gross, MD
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA

Received 23 May 2007 published online 24 July 2008.

Abstract

Purpose

A variety of inflammatory and structural conditions can cause frontal sinusitis. The present study was conducted as pilot study to determine the primary cause of frontal sinusitis at the time of endoscopic sinus surgery.

Materials and methods

Retrospective chart review was performed from 1997 to 2004 of patients who underwent endoscopic frontal sinus surgery at the University of Virginia. Demographic data, intraoperative frontal recess findings, and history of prior sinus procedures were collected.

Results

There were 102 patients, and 176 endoscopic frontal sinus surgeries were performed with mean follow-up of 29 months. The major causes for frontal sinusitis were polyp (53%), frontal recess synechia (21%), agger nasi cell (12%), and narrow osteomeatal complex (5%). Frontal recess synechia was present only in patients who had prior surgery.

Conclusions

Inflammatory polyps, followed by synechia, were the most common causes of chronic frontal sinusitis requiring frontal sinus surgery. Further investigation is warranted to identify the sources of frontal recess synechia and to develop preventative strategies of this iatrogenic problem.