Combined aplasia of sphenoid, frontal, and maxillary sinuses accompanied by ethmoid sinus hypoplasia

Abstract

Objective: To report the case of a woman who had combined aplasia of sphenoid, frontal, and maxillary sinuses accompanied by ethmoid sinus hypoplasia. METHODS AND Results: A 47-year-old woman presented with complaints of headache, nasal obstruction, and postnasal drainage. She had no previous history of either facial trauma or systemic diseases affecting the skeletal system. She had a history of functional endoscopic sinus surgery twice in an other institution. However, the surgeries did not significantly alter her symptoms. Coronal and axial computed tomographic scans of the nose and the paranasal sinuses showed poorly developed frontal, sphenoid sinuses, ethmoid cells, and very severe and profound hypoplasia (aplasia) of bilateral maxillary sinuses. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this patient seems to be the first case having combined aplasias of the sphenoid, frontal, and maxillary sinuses with hypoplastic ethmoid cells without any systemic or skeletal disease. Copyright © 2010 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.