Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T17:27:17.702Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Frontal recess cells: a rare cause of frontal sinus pneumocoele

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

J F Dixon  and
B A Woodworth
J F Dixon
Affiliation:
Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
B A Woodworth*
Affiliation:
Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Bradford A Woodworth, University of Alabama – Birmingham, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, BDB 563, 1530 3rd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. Fax: +1 205 934 3993 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background and aims:

A pneumocoele is a pathologically expanding, air-containing paranasal sinus. Pneumocoeles are uncommon entities, with very few cases reported in the literature. The most plausible aetiological theory is that of a one-way valve effect allowing air into the sinus under increased pressure without pressure equilibration.

Methods:

Review of a frontal sinus pneumocoele caused by a type III frontal cell and intersinus septal cell.

Results:

We present a patient with chronic sinusitis who developed a pneumocoele of her left frontal sinus with erosion into her orbit. This patient was a habitual, chronic nose-blower with a large type III frontal cell adjacent to an intersinus septal cell.

Conclusion:

We propose the new theory that, in our patient, such cells formed a one-way valve, causing air-trapping and pathological expansion of the frontal sinus. To our knowledge, there are no previously published cases that establish an association between large frontal cells and expansion of a pneumocoele.

Keywords

Frontal SinusPneumoceleEndoscopyOtorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 9 , September 2009 , pp. 1049 - 1051
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Wolfensberger, M, Herrmann, P. The pathogenesis of maxillary sinus pneumoceles. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1987;113:184–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Bachor, E, Weber, R, Kahle, G, Draf, W. Temporary unilateral amaurosis with pneumosinus dilatans of the sphenoid sinus. Skull Base Surg 1994;4:169–75CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3 Urken, ML, Som, PM, Lawson, W, Edelstein, D, Weber, AL, Biller, HF. Abnormally large frontal sinus. II. Nomenclature, pathology, and symptoms. Laryngoscope 1987;97:606–11CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Walker, JL, Jones, NS. Pneumosinus dilatans of the frontal sinuses: two cases and a discussion of its aetiology. J Laryngol Otol 2002;116:382–5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5 Flanary, CJ, Flanary, VA. Maxillary sinus pneumocele. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1998;119:518–20CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 DelGaudio, JM, Hudgins, PA, Venkatraman, G, Beningfield, A. Multiplanar computed tomographic analysis of frontal recess cells: effect on frontal isthmus size and frontal sinusitis. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;131:230–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed