Frontal sinus obliteration with autologous calvarial bone graft: indications and results

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2014 Nov;271(11):2957-62. doi: 10.1007/s00405-014-2967-9. Epub 2014 Mar 8.

Abstract

Despite increasing advances in endonasal frontal sinus surgery, frontal sinus obliteration (FSO) is sometimes necessary after failure of other surgical techniques. This procedure has been reported with autologous tissue or synthetic material, but few studies have reported results with autologous calvarial bone graft. The aim of this study was to report our experience with osteoplastic FSO calvarial bone graft. A retrospective review was performed on 11 patients operated upon for FSO with autologous calvarial bone graft from 2005 to 2011. Obliteration was indicated for chronic symptomatic frontal sinusitis with nasofrontal duct stenosis in five cases of nasal polyposis with a history of endoscopic sinus surgery, two cases of frontal trauma, two of surgery for frontal inverted papilloma and two of chronic frontal purulent sinusitis. Ten patients had a history of one or two previous functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) procedures. On outcome assessment, eight patients had no residual complaints after FSO and all patients showed improvement in symptoms. Frontal sinus obliteration with autologous calvarial bone graft showed low donor site morbidity and good aesthetic results. This procedure should be considered in severe frontal sinusitis after repeated FESS procedures have failed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Chronic Disease
  • Endoscopy / methods*
  • Female
  • Frontal Sinus / injuries
  • Frontal Sinus / surgery*
  • Frontal Sinusitis / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nasal Polyps / surgery
  • Papilloma, Inverted / surgery
  • Parietal Bone / transplantation*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Treatment Outcome