The relationship between anatomic variations of paranasal sinuses and chronic sinusitis in children

CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical variations in the nose and paranasal sinuses are common in children. Due to the absence of a definitive relationship between anatomical variations and sinus disease, local, systemic or environmental factors appear to be more significant in pediatric sinusitis than the anatomic variations. OBJECTIVE: Chronic sinusitis is increasing in the pediatric population. Following the initial reports of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for children, the majority of patients undergoing this procedure have experienced improved quality of life. Thus, we need to know the precise anatomy and anatomical variations of the nose, as well as the relationship between such anatomy and chronic sinusitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To determine the extent and distribution of disease, as well as associated anatomic abnormalities, computed tomography (CT) scans were performed on 113 children with persistent symptoms of sinusitis after failure of medical therapies. RESULTS: The maxillary sinus was the most commonly involved sinus, followed by the ethmoid, sphenoid, and frontal sinuses. There was no relationship between age and severity of sinusitis. Agger nasi cell was the most common anatomical variation, followed by septal deviation, Haller cell, concha bullosa, paradoxical middle turbinate, and Onodi cell. The prevalence of septal deviation increased with age. There was no significant relationship between the sinusitis and anatomic variations.