Patency of inferior meatal antrostomy

Objective: To evaluate the patency and effectiveness of inferior meatal antrostomy for the treatment of maxillary lesions. Methods: Patients suffering from moderate-to-severe chronic sinusitis who underwent inferior meatal antrostomies at St. Marianna University Toyoko Hospital and followed up for at least 1 year after surgery were selected. Thirty sides of 27 patients were analyzed. Postoperative mucociliary function was examined in seven sides of seven patients. Results: No closure was observed in all 30 procedures. Out of 30 antra, 26 (86.7%) had normal antral mucosa. Recurrent mucosal lesions inside the maxillary sinus were successfully treated through the inferior meatal window. No cases showed circular flow on the india ink test. All sinuses exhibited a discharge from the middle meatal window and three out of seven sinuses exhibited a discharge from the inferior meatal window. Conclusions: Although long-term follow-up is required to determine the patency of inferior meatal antrostomy, initial results are encouraging. The inferior meatal window provides both intra- and postoperative benefits.     

Transnasal endoscopic marsupialization of postoperative maxillary mucoceles: middle meatal antrostomy versus inferior meatal antrostomy

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transnasal endoscopic marsupialization as a treatment modality in patients with postoperative maxillary mucoceles and to compare the efficacy of marsupialization via middle meatal antrostomy with that of marsupialization via inferior meatal antrostomy. The study design was a retrospective clinical series and the setting was a tertiary referral center. After obtaining approval from the local ethics committee, we reviewed the medical records of 39 consecutive patients with postoperative maxillary mucoceles who were diagnosed and treated at the Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, from 2004 to 2009. Transnasal endoscopic marsupialization was performed on 32 patients (34 sides) with postoperative maxillary mucoceles. All patients were followed for more than 12 months after surgery, and recurrence was noted in five patients (14.9%). Recurrence was experienced by five patients who underwent inferior meatal antrostomy and zero patients who underwent middle meatal antrostomy; thus, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.04) was observed. Transnasal endoscopic marsupialization is an effective modality for postoperative maxillary mucoceles and results in reduced morbidity. The use of middle meatal antrostomy in particular is preferred.     

Nasolacrimal obstruction after inferior meatus nasal antrostomy

Transient epiphora following rhinoplasty or intranasal procedures is a common occurrence. Permanent nasolacrimal duct obstruction, however, is rare. This article documents four cases of nasolacrimal duct obstruction following intranasal antrostomy. Three patients were cured by dacryocystorhinostomy and a fourth refused surgery. The anatomy of the nasolacrimal duct in the inferior meatus has considerable variation. Although the duct typically opens in the inferior meatus immediately under the insertion of the inferior turbinate, the orifice can be a single hole, a slit, multiple holes, or a trough, and can be located anywhere from 30 to 40 mm dorsal to the anterior nares. We review the embryology and anatomy of the nasolacrimal orifice in the nose and make recommendations for safe surgery in the inferior meatus.     

The effects of repetitious topical use of mitomycin C on antrostomy patency in maxillary antrostomy created rabbit model

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the topical use of mitomycin C (MMC) intraoperatively in single dose and intra-postoperatively in two doses on the narrowing of antrostomy in maxillary rabbit sinus antrostomies created experimentally. And also to determine the local and systemic side effects of topical MMC. With this objective, 0.6 mg/ml MMC was used to the first group at single dose and to the second group intraoperatively and on third day postoperatively in two doses topically for 5 min. After 8 weeks, although the mean area of antrostomy was larger than that in the control side in the first group, which received single dose MMC, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.287). The second group received two doses, and the antrostomy areas were found to be significantly larger than the controls (p = 0.05). Overall, the sides that received MMC were significantly larger (p = 0.029). From the point of histopathological examination of the tissue, it was seen that two-dose MMC increased the edema indicating inflammation and antrostomy resolved with normal respiratory tract epithelium. It was shown by measuring the blood values that nephrotoxic and myelosupressant effect of MMC occurring in systemic use did not occur with single or double dose topical use. Our results demonstrate that even if the number of cases was low, two doses of topical MMC usage prevent the narrowing of antrostomy while single dose MMC does not. And two-dose topical MMC usage does not have local and systemic side effects.     

Inferior meatal antrostomy in chronic maxillary sinusitis

Summary 32 patients with 44 inferior antrostomies for chronic maxillary sinusitis have been followed over a period of 2 years. Critical analysis of the data revealed three major facts: Inferior meatal antrostomy is providing mucociliary drainage, fenestration is not facilitating sinus reinfection, reversion of mucosal changes is noticeable even after closure of the inferior meatal window.     

A proposal for endonasal middle meatal antrostomy

With increase of cases with mild chronic sinusitis, especially the cases combined with nasal allergy, endonasal sinus surgery has been substituted for Caldwell-Luc or some other modified sinus surgery in recent years. The classical inferior meatal antrostomy for maxillary sinusitis is one of the treatments of choice, though this opening is easily closed and is somewhat different from normal sinus physiology. In the middle meatal antrostomy, the opening was made via the inferior turbinate or the middle meatal wall perforated with nasal forceps. Reported here is a new technique for middle meatal antrostomy which can be easily and safely performed. At the beginning, mucosal incision is made from the agger nasi to the anterior of the inferior turbinate, dividing the mucous membrane inferomedially. Then the mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate is cut along the upper margin of it and reflected downwards. With this procedure, the frontal process of the maxilla, lacrimal bone and inferior turbinate are well exposed and well oriented in the surgical field. The pars membranacea is then cut from anterior to inferior, and removed with the uncinate process, thus entering the maxillary antrum. The antrostomy opening is made at least 1 by 1.5 cm wide. Then, the intranasal ethmoidectomy is usually done and the reflected mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate returned to its normal position. This surgery was applied to 34 patients (7 children, 27 adults), (2 antrochoanal polyps, 5 optic neuritis, 3 maxillary sinusitis, 17 pansinusitis, and 7 pansinusitis associated with nasal allergy). We have not experienced surgical complications and none of them also had closure of the antrostomy opening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

CO_2激光辅助中鼻道上颌窦造口术

目的探讨鼻内镜下应用CO2激光辅助中鼻道上颌窦造口术的手术疗效。方法慢性鼻窦炎、鼻息肉患者44例(78侧),随机分成2组,其中鼻内镜下辅助CO2激光开放上颌窦窦口10例(17侧),常规鼻窦外科器械行上颌窦窦口开放术34例(61侧)。术后鼻内镜复查和鼻窦CT检查判定手术疗效。随访1年至1年6个月。结果鼻内镜下辅助应用CO2激光开放上颌窦窦口10例(17侧)中无1例窦口狭窄及闭塞,治愈8例,好转2例。而常规鼻窦外科器械上颌窦窦口开放术34例(61侧)中有4例(4侧)出现上颌窦窦口狭窄,1例(1侧)因上颌窦窦口闭塞而再次手术。治愈18例,好转11例,无效5例。结论鼻内镜下CO2激光辅助上颌窦造口术可有效地减少上颌窦窦口狭窄或闭塞的机率,从而提高慢性鼻窦炎、鼻息肉的治愈率。     

Endoscopic maxillary antrostomy: not just a simple procedure

The endoscopic middle meatal maxillary antrostomy is one of the most commonly performed endoscopic procedures. Despite this, at our tertiary institution, we commonly see failed antrostomies requiring revision surgery. Accordingly, we describe in a stepwise fashion strategies helpful in creating a patent and naturally function maxillary antrostomy.