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Updated: Sep 6, 2025
Endoscopic Septoplasty with Limited Two-line Resection: Minimally Invasive Surgery for Septal Deviation
Published on: June 20, 2018
Silent sinus syndrome: Reduction of surgical invasiveness in an underdiagnosed clinical entity
Konstantinos Mantsopoulos1, Vivian Thimsen1, Petros Karkos2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate our experience in the management of silent sinus syndrome.
Material And Methods:
The records of all patients treated for silent sinus syndrome between 2011 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. Data were collected on epidemiological parameters (age, gender), referral specialty, imaging findings, surgical approach, and management.
Results:
In total, nine cases made up our final study sample (5 men, 4 women; male-female ratio 1:0.8). Their mean age was 39 years (range: 19-71 years). Besides the typical imaging findings (orbital floor depression, maxillary sinus atelectasis with ostium occlusion), lateralization of the uncinate process could be seen in seven cases (77.8 %) and ipsilateral septal deviation in six cases (66.6 %). Four cases were managed by means of middle meatal antrostomy and five with additional reconstruction of the orbital floor (transconjuctival approach in two cases, endonasal endoscopic approach in three cases). Enopthalmus recovered in all cases; diplopia (3 cases) recovered completely in two cases and partly in one case.
Conclusion:
Reduced surgical invasiveness in silent sinus syndrome, with management of the cause (maxillary sinus hypoventilation) and the sequel (orbital floor depression) using the same endoscopic approach, is associated with an acceptable clinical outcome.
