[Traumatically-induced foreign bodies of the paranasal sinuses]

Foreign bodies of the nose and its related sinuses are a common feature in otorhinolaryngology. Particularly in small children, one will find unilateral rhinorrhea as an initial symptom. In the adult, foreign bodies of the nose or paranasal sinuses are mainly caused by traumatic events. In the present paper the authors report two cases of foreign bodies of the paranasal sinuses. In one case the patient had been suffering from unilateral cephalgia for more than 40 years. The other patient had a short history prior to the extraction of the foreign body from the sphenoid sinuses. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are discussed and compared with the relevant literature.