Ozcan KM, et al. - This study was conducted to assess if the frontal sinus hypoplasia coexisted with maxillary sinus hypoplasia. Out of the cases having a hypoplastic maxillary sinus at least on one side, 33.7% presented with a hypoplastic and/or aplastic frontal sinus, whereas, at least on one side in control group, 12.5% had a hypoplastic and/or aplastic frontal sinus. Experts found a notably higher coexistence of maxillary sinus hypoplasia with the frontal sinus hypoplasia.

Methods

• The authors analyzed paranasal CT scans retrospectively.
• Eighty six patients were included in this study who presented with hypoplastic maxillary sinus at least on one side along with a control group of 80 patients with bilateral normal maxillary sinuses.
• Using the classification system previously defined by Bolger et al. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 103(5):759–765, 1990) hypoplastic maxillary sinuses were classified.
• The frontal sinuses were categorized as aplastic, hypoplastic, medium-sized, and hyperplastic; as defined by Guerram et al. (Am J Phys Anthropol 154(4):621–627, 2014) previously.
• Using Chi-square test, the presence of frontal sinus hypoplasia was compared between the groups.

Results

• In the maxillary sinus group, the mean age was 43.2 (range 18–84) years.
• Out of 86 patients, 33 (38.4%) presented with unilateral and 53 (61.6%) presented with bilateral maxillary sinus hypoplasia.
• From the total 139 maxillary sinuses included, 73 (52.5%) were type 1, 51 (36.7%) were type 2 and 15 (10.8%) were type 3 hypoplastic maxillary sinuses.
• Among the total of 332 frontal sinuses, 25 (7.5%) were aplastic, 32 (9.6%) were hypoplastic, 172 (51.9%) were medium-sized, and 103 (31%) were hyperplastic.
• Out of the 86 cases having a hypoplastic maxillary sinus at least on one side, 29 (33.7%) had a hypoplastic and/or aplastic frontal sinus, whereas 10 (12.5%) presented with a hypoplastic and/or aplastic frontal sinus at least on one side in control group.
• In cases with maxillary sinus hypoplasia, the incidence of frontal sinus hypoplasia and/or aplasia was notably higher when compared to the cases with bilaterally normal maxillary sinuses (Χ² = 10.384, P=0.001).