Complications after treatment of chronic maxillary sinus disease with Caldwell-Luc procedure

This short article deals with a review of the indications of the Caldwell-Luc operation. It attempts to point out that the Caldwell-Luc operation is not without complications and it is frequently associated with one or more of these. Various cases are sited illustrating this. A study examining 70 consecutive patients treated surgically by the author and 2 associates from 1972-1975 was done. One-fourth of these were treated with intranasal procedures alone. The remainder were treated with Caldwell-Luc, and most Caldwell-Lucs were performed for intrasinus disease. The surgical technique is described followed by the indications for each. The postoperative problems are discussed and were found to be significant with recurrent sinusitis being most common. The remaining complications are likewise discussed. In summary, the Caldwell-Luc operation has been employed for about 90 years for various indications. The indications expand with time; however, this seemingly benign operation is not without its incidence of complications and the morbidity is far greater than most of us often realize.