Maxillary Sinus Membrane Repair With Amnion-Chorion Barriers: A Retrospective Case Series

Schneiderian membrane perforation is the most common complication of maxillary sinus augmentation procedures and has been associated with a variety of post-surgical problems. Multiple techniques to repair perforated Schneiderian membranes with materials such as connective tissue, buccal fat pads, and resorbable collagen membranes have been reported in the dental literature. Although these reparative options have proven successful, they are technique sensitive and time consuming. The aim of this case series is to present a simplified method of Schneiderian membrane perforation repair with amnion-chorion membranes and results obtained from nine cases using this technique.

A consecutive retrospective record review was performed of all maxillary sinus augmentation cases performed during the past 5 years by the same board-certified private practice periodontist (DH).

Seventy-seven cases were identified, with a total of 104 sinus augmentations, in which nine perforations were noted. None of the perforation cases were aborted midprocedure, and all perforations were repaired with amnion-chorion membranes. All cases were augmented with a combination of allograft and xenograft particulate bone. After an average healing time of 4.9 months, dental implants were placed in the grafted sinuses.

This retrospective case series shows nine perforations during 104 lateral window maxillary sinus augmentation procedures. A total of 23 dental implants were placed in the augmented sinuses with perforated Schneiderian membranes, and one failure was noted according the Albrektsson success criteria. A total of 158 dental implants were placed in non-perforated augmented sinuses, with a total of three failures noted.