Unveiling the Silent Sinus Syndrome: A Familial Case Series Exploring Chronic Maxillary Atelectasis

Chronic maxillary atelectasis (CMA) is characterized by a persistent reduction in maxillary sinus volume, resulting from inward bowing of its antral walls. Silent sinus syndrome (SSS), a rare manifestation of CMA, typically presents with significant bony structural changes but without the usual nasal symptoms. The primary clinical presentation of SSS often includes enophthalmos, which may lead to referrals to ophthalmology due to perceived ocular asymmetry. This case series presents the familial occurrence of CMA and SSS in three male family members, each exhibiting different degrees of nasal symptoms and imaging findings consistent with maxillary sinus opacification and collapse. The familial clustering of these cases suggests a possible genetic or hereditary component to the development of CMA and SSS, an aspect not commonly explored in the existing literature.