Questioning the Justification of Frontal Sinusotomy for Odontogenic Sinusitis

Odontogenic sinusitis (OS) can be caused by infectious conditions of the posterior maxillary teeth. The maxillary sinus has been most often involved because of its proximity to the posterior maxillary teeth. Often the anterior ethmoids and frontal sinuses will be involved by the infective process. The underlying odontogenic condition must be addressed before or during sinus surgery. The role of frontal sinusotomy in the treatment of these patients has been poorly described. Our objective was to present the surgical outcomes of patients with OS involving the frontal sinus who had undergone middle meatal antrostomy alone.

A prospective analysis of all patients who had undergone surgery at a single tertiary center to treat OS involving the frontal sinus from November 2015 to December 2018 was performed. Their preoperative assessment findings, surgical findings, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

A total of 45 patients (23 men and 22 women), with a median age of 57 years (range, 20 to 83 years), were enrolled in the present study. All anterior sinuses (frontal, anterior ethmoids, and maxillary sinuses) were clinically and radiographically involved in all the patients. Each patient underwent endoscopic wide maxillary middle meatal antrostomy concurrent with dental intervention. The average follow-up was 7 months. No signs of active frontal disease were detected by postoperative endoscopy in any patient, and no patient required revision surgery.

The results from the present study have shown that no justification exists for frontal sinusotomy for the treatment of OS involving the frontal sinus. Frontal sinusitis is a secondary infectious and inflammatory process that will resolve once the underlying odontogenic condition has healed and wide middle meatal antrostomy has been performed.