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Development of the maxillary sinus in infants and children
Bharat Bhushan1, Karen Rychlik2, James W Schroeder1
1Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, USA; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Insights
The maxillary sinus grows in height throughout childhood until age 18. Its width and depth increase significantly until age 12, with computed tomography (CT) scans showing these changes in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric radiology
- Craniofacial development
- Anatomy
Background:
- The maxillary sinus is a key anatomical feature in the craniofacial complex.
- Understanding its growth patterns is crucial for diagnosing developmental abnormalities and planning interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related changes in maxillary sinus dimensions (height, width, depth, and volume) in children.
- To establish normative growth data for the pediatric maxillary sinus using computed tomography (CT).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of CT scans from 139 children (<18 years) without sinus pathology.
- Measurements of maxillary sinus height, width, and depth were taken.
- Patients were categorized into three age groups: <6, 6-12, and >12 years.
Main Results:
- Maxillary sinus height increased significantly across all age groups (p<0.001).
- Significant increases in width and depth were observed in children younger than 12 years (p<0.001).
- Maxillary sinus width, depth, and volume showed no significant increase after age 12.
Conclusions:
- Maxillary sinus dimensions exhibit distinct growth phases during childhood.
- Height demonstrates continuous growth up to 18 years, while width and depth growth plateaus around age 12.
Objective:
To examine the age related volume change of the maxillary sinus in children by measuring the change of the height, weight, and depth using computed tomography (CT).
Methods:
Children <18 years of age who underwent a CT Scan of the sinuses for reasons other than sinus related issues were included in the study.
Results:
139 patients were included (68 females and 71 Males) and the mean age of the patients was 9.6 ± 5.4 years. The cohort was divided into three groups based on their ages - Age <6 years (n = 45), age between 6 and 12 years (n = 44) and age > 12 years (n = 50). Patients in each age group demonstrated an increase in their Maxillary sinus height (p<0.001). Patients < 6years of age and between 6 and 12 years of age had a significant increase in their maxillary sinus width and depth (p < 0.001). The maxillary sinus width, depth and volume did not increase significantly after the age of 12 years in these patients.
Conclusion:
We demonstrated periods of significant size increase of the maxillary sinuses as determined by different dimensions in children at various ages. The height of the maxillary sinus has steady growth from birth to at least the age of 18 years. The width and depth increase up to 12 years of age.
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