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Exostoses of the paranasal sinuses
Jeevan B Ramakrishnan1, Jose A Pirron, Aleksandr Perepletchikov
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. ramakrishnanjb@upmc.edu
Cold nasal irrigation may cause bony growths in the paranasal sinuses. Patients should avoid using cold solutions for nasal irrigation to prevent exostosis development.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Rhinosinusology
Background:
- Bony exostoses of the external auditory canal are known complications of cold-water exposure.
- Paranasal sinus exostoses have not been previously documented.
Observation:
- A patient with a history of endoscopic sinus surgery developed multiple paranasal sinus exostoses.
- The onset coincided with daily nasal irrigation using cold gentamicin solution for two years.
- Topical gentamicin irrigation was used to reduce recurrent bacterial sinus infections.
Findings:
- Biopsy confirmed the presence of bony exostoses in the paranasal sinuses.
- The development of exostoses was linked to the use of cold nasal irrigants.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential risk associated with cold nasal irrigation.
- Patients should be advised against irrigating paranasal sinuses with cold solutions.
- Further research may be needed to understand the mechanism and prevalence of this complication.
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