Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
07:43
Endoscopic Endonasal Trans-sphenoidal Approach: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas
Published on: January 17, 2018
Sphenoid sinus: an anatomic and endoscopic study in Asian cadavers
1Department of Otolaryngology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. Henry.Tan.KK@kk.com.sg
Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.)
|June 23, 2007
Summary
Asian sphenoid sinus anatomy reveals a higher incidence of overriding posterior ethmoid cells. Surgeons must be aware of these variations during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) to avoid risks to vital structures like the optic nerve.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Anatomy
- Surgical Anatomy
Background:
- The sphenoid sinus and surrounding structures present unique anatomical challenges.
- Understanding Asian sphenoid sinus variations is crucial for surgical safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the detailed anatomy of the sphenoid sinus in Asian cadavers.
- To identify variations and their implications for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
Main Methods:
- Anatomical and endoscopic study of 48 cadaveric heads (96 sphenoid sinuses).
- Detailed analysis of sphenoid sinus types, septations, and bulge incidences of adjacent vital structures.
Main Results:
- Sellar type sphenoid sinus was most common (55%).
- High incidence of accessory septae (70.8%), carotid artery (67.7%), optic nerve (69.8%), maxillary nerve (61.5%), and vidian nerve (64.6%) bulges.
- Significantly higher prevalence of overriding ethmoid sinuses in Asian cadavers (47.9%) compared to Western studies.
- Seven (15%) of these were Onodi positive.
Conclusions:
- Asian populations exhibit a significantly higher rate of overriding posterior ethmoid cells.
- These anatomical variations pose risks during FESS, potentially endangering the optic nerve.
- Surgeons must exercise caution to differentiate between posterior ethmoid cells and the sphenoid sinus during FESS in Asian patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cranial Bones: Lateral View
The lateral view of the cranium is dominated by temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
01:22Sutures of the Skull
The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
01:14Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View
The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...