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[Nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses in newborns and children]
W Anderhuber1, A Weiglein, G Wolf
1Universitätsklinik für HNO-Heilkunde Graz, Osterreich.
Insights
Paranasal sinus development starts in fetal months but expands significantly after birth. By age 12, these sinuses reach adult size and form, crucial for facial growth.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Embryology
- Pediatrics
Context:
- Paranasal sinuses develop from mucosal evaginations during fetal development.
- Significant sinus expansion occurs postnatally, influenced by craniofacial and dental growth.
Purpose:
- To describe the developmental timeline and growth patterns of paranasal sinuses from fetal life to adolescence.
- To highlight the differential development of various paranasal sinuses.
Summary:
- Paranasal sinus development initiates in the 3rd-4th fetal months.
- While ethmoidal and maxillary sinuses are noticeable at birth, sphenoidal and frontal sinuses are rudimentary.
- By age 12, all paranasal sinuses achieve adult size and form.
Impact:
- Provides a foundational understanding of sinonasal development for clinicians and researchers.
- Establishes normative growth data for paranasal sinuses in children and adolescents.
Abstract:
The paranasal or accessory nasal sinuses begin their development as evaginations of the mucosa during the 3rd and 4th fetal months, but undergo their major expansion after birth according to the development of the facial cranium and the teeth. While in the newborn the sphenoidal and frontal sinuses are still only predispositioned, the ethmoidal labyrinth and particularly the maxillary sinus are of appreciable size. In the 4-year-old the frontal and sphenoidal sinuses are already developed and in the 12-year-old the paranasal sinuses reach their final form and a size equivalent to the adult.