Acute frontal sinusitis: etiological factors and treatment outcome

A retrospective analysis of patients with acute frontal sinusitis treated at Kuopio University Hospital between 1981 and 1990 was performed to define etiological factors, clinical course and response to treatment. The study comprised 91 patients, 67 men and 24 women, aged from 9 to 65 years with a mean age for men of 32 years and for women of 29 years. Thirty-nine patients (43%) had previously been suffering from seasonal or chronic rhinitis, which in 22 was allergic, in 15 vasomotoric and in 2 due to intolerance to acetylsalicylic acid. In one case there was a recent and in another an old nasal trauma. Forty-seven patients (52%) were hospitalized, the others treated as outpatients. All received medical treatment. In 49 patients (54%) there was contemporary maxillary sinusitis which was treated with irrigations. Nasal polyps were detected and removed in 18 patients (20%). Anterior ethmoidectomy was made in 11 patients (12%) and trephination of the diseased frontal sinus to avoid complications in 8 patients (9%). No complications occurred. In 5 patients (5%) acute frontal sinusitis recurred once and a chronic course was seen in another 5 patients of whom 3 had chronic allergic and one vasomotor rhinitis.