The effect of the ethmomaxillary sinus on maxillary sinus volume and chronic maxillary sinusitis

Abstract

Purpose: The ethmomaxillary sinus (EMS) is a posterior ethmoid cell variation located between the posterior part of the maxillary sinus and the orbital floor, draining into the superior meatus. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of EMS variation, to assess the effect of EMS on maxillary sinus volume using paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT), and to evaluate the relationship between EMS and chronic sinusitis. Materials and methods: In this study, paranasal sinus CT scans of 492 patients were evaluated. Forty-two patients (59 sides) with EMS were included in the analysis. The EMS volume, ipsilateral maxillary sinus volume, and contralateral maxillary sinus volume (in patients with unilateral EMS) were measured. The relationship between EMS and chronic maxillary sinusitis was also evaluated. Results: The prevalence of EMS variation was found to be 8.5%, and a negative correlation was identified between EMS volume and ipsilateral maxillary sinus volume (p=0.05). The ipsilateral maxillary sinus volume was statistically significantly lower than the contralateral maxillary sinus volume (p=0.007). In addition, the incidence of chronic maxillary sinusitis was significantly higher on the side with EMS compared to the contralateral side (p<0.001). Conclusion: According to these findings, EMS appears to reduce the volume of the ipsilateral maxillary sinus, and the increased incidence of chronic maxillary sinusitis on the side with EMS suggests that EMS is associated with ipsilateral chronic maxillary sinusitis.

Keywords

• Ethmomaxillary sinüs
• ethmoidal air cells
• maxillary sinus
• paranasal sinuses computerized tomography
• chronic sinusitis

Etmomaksiller sinüsün, maksiller sinüs hacmine ve kronik maksiller sinüzite etkisi

Öz

Amaç: Etmomaksiller sinüs (EMS), maksiller sinüsün arka kısmı ile orbita tabanı arasında yer alan ve üst meatusa drene olan posterior etmoid hücre varyasyonudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, EMS varyasyonunun sıklığını, Paranazal Sinüs Bilgisayarlı Tomografi’de (BT) EMS’nin maksiller sinüs volümü üzerindeki etkisini araştırmak ve EMS ile kronik sinüzit arasındaki ilişkiyi değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve yöntem: Çalışmada 492 hastanın paranasal sinüs BT taramaları değerlendirildi. EMS’si bulunan 42 hasta (59 taraf) çalışmaya dahil edildi. EMS hacmi, ipsilateral maksiller sinüs hacimi, unilateral EMS’li hastalarda kontralateral maksiller sinüs hacmi ölçüldü. Kronik maksiller sinüzit ile ilişkisi değerlendirildi. Bulgular: EMS varyasyonu sıklığı %8,5 bulunmuş, EMS ile ipsilateral maksiller sinüs volümleri arasında negatif korelasyon tespit edilmiştir (p=0,05). İpsilateral maksiller sinüs volümü, kontralateral maksiller sinüs volümüne göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde düşük bulunmuştur (p=0,007). Ayrıca EMS’li tarafta, karşı tarafa göre kronik maksiller sinüzit gelişimi istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde yüksek bulunmuştur (p<0,001). Sonuç: Bu bulgulara göre EMS’nin, ipsilateral maksiller sinüs hacmini azalttığı ve EMS’li tarafta artmış kronik maksiller sinüzit gelişiminin, EMS’nin ipsilateral maksiller sinüzit ile ilişkili olduğu düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Etmomaksiller sinüs
• etmoidal hava hücreleri
• maksiller sinüs
• paranazal sinüs bilgisayarlı tomografi
• kronik sinüzit

Kaynakça

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