Evaluation and treatment of isolated maxillary sinus disease

The maxillary sinus may be involved in a wide variety of disorders. Many of these share common presenting symptoms but some have unique features. This article reviews some of the recent publications in this area.

The majority of isolated maxillary sinus disease has been previously described. Some recent data on the microbiology of sinusitis have been published. The review also highlights the growing role of endoscopic surgical management due to improved instrumentations and techniques.

On the basis of the review, diagnosing isolated maxillary sinus disease can still be delayed due to late presentation. When suspected, it is advisable to investigate early with computed tomography scanning and proceeding to MRI if needed. Often these will show certain features with clues to the diagnosis. Final diagnosis is frequently only obtained on histological examination. The majority of these disorders can now be managed by endoscopic techniques alone with open surgery required in a small number of cases.