HYPOPLASIA OF THE MAXILLARY ANTRUM - ANATOMIC ABNORMALITIES, DIAGNOSTIC DIFFICULTIES AND SURGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Using conventional radiography, maxillary sinus hypoplasia (MSH) may b e misdiagnosed as chronic infective sinusitis in patients with chronic nasal symptoms. Commonly associated anatomical abnormalities of the l ateral nasal wall and orbit may also be missed. Failure to recognize t hese abnormalities is fraught with hazards should sinus surgery be con templated on such patients. With the use of high resolution computed t omography scans and rigid nasal endoscopy, MSH and associated subtle a natomic abnormalities of related structures are diagnosed with higher precision and surgical complications minimized. The incidence, pathoge nesis, and classification of MSH is reviewed. The clinical and surgica l implications of associated anomalies of the lateral nasal wall are d iscussed. Two illustrative cases are presented.