A contribution on revisional and drainage of the frontal sinus by osteoplastic operation

Osteoplasty of the frontal sinus (bone lid operation) consists of the excision of a piece of bone from the anterior surface of the frontal sinus. A circular saw with an extremely fine saw blade is used. The ensuing cut is thus extremely narrow and the excised bone lid can be reimplanted exactly, flush with the neighbouring bone from which it was excised. Primary healing takes place without the development of intermediary connective or cartilagenous tissue. Only circumscribed pathological lesions of the diseased mucous membrane are removed. Otherwise, healing is promoted by improved drainage and ventilation. For this purpose a channel leading to the nose is created. In order to ensure that this channel stays open it is lined by dura or mucous membrane. The latter is put into place and fixed by an inflatable balloon acting as a tampon. The balloon is traversed by a tube which guarantees adequate drainage and ventilation during healing of the lining material in the channel.