The silent sinus syndrome: maxillary sinus atelectasis with enophthalmos and hypoglobus

The silent sinus syndrome is a rare clinical entity of spontaneous enophthalmos and hypoglobus caused by an alteration of the normal orbital architecture and function from maxillary sinus collapse in the setting of chronic sinusitis.

The maxillary sinus collapse appears to result from the development of negative sinus pressure from an acquired obstruction of the maxillary sinus outflow. Patients most often present with symptoms relating to enophthalmos, although few report any symptoms of sinus disease.

Characteristic radiographic features of the maxillary sinus including opacification and collapse of the antral walls with inward bowing of the orbital floor are necessary for diagnosis.