Type IV optic nerve and Onodi cell: is there a risk of injury during sphenoid sinus surgery?

This study aims to determine the prevalence and types of Onodi cells through computed tomography and investigate the relationship between Onodi cell and the surrounding structures, paying particular attention to the risky proximity to the optic nerve canal.

In this study, 430 computed tomography scans of paranasal sinuses were analysed to establish the prevalence and different types of Onodi cells. Furthermore, the relationship between Onodi cell and different patterns of sphenoid sinus pneumatisation and surrounding structures were investigated. Special attention was paid to the relationship between Onodi cell and the optic nerve canal, particularly in cases when the optic nerve canal was bulging by more than 50% into the Onodi cell (Type IV).

The Onodi cell was detected in 21.6% of cases, with the most common being Type I (48.5% right, 54.3% left). Type IV bulging of the optic nerve canal into the Onodi cell was observed in 47.1% of cases on the right side, 41.2% on the left side and bilateral in 11.7% of cases.

In our series, we observed a high prevalence of Type IV optic nerve bulging into the Onodi cell. For this reason, we suggest that clinicians should always try to identify it in a pre-operative setting with computed tomography to avoid catastrophic consequences during endoscopic sinus surgery approaching the sphenoid area.