Summary
Paranasal sinuses osteomas are known as biological benign tumours. However, due to the peculiar anatomical relationships, patients harbouring an osteoma within the frontal sinus are exposed to serious orbital and intracranial complications. We report two unusual cases of intracranial mucocoeles associated with frontal osteomas. In one of them, a superposed tension aerocoele required emergency surgery.
Although aggressive treatment of asymptomatic osteomas is not warranted, these lesions must be carefully observed and resected as soon as they show clinical and/or radiological signs of progression. The physiopathological and clinical aspects are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armitage G (1931) Osteoma of the frontal sinus: with particular reference to its intracranial complications, and with the report of a case. Br J Surg 18: 565–580
Arnold J (1873) Zwei Osteome der Stirnhöhlen. Virchows Arch 57: 145–163
Atallah N, Jay MM (1981) Osteomas of the paranasal sinuses. J Laryngol Otol 95: 291–304
Ataman M, Ayas K, Gursel B (1993) Giant osteoma of the frontal sinus. Rhinology 31: 185–187
Bartlett JR (1971) Intracranial neurological complications of frontal and ethmoidal osteomas. Br J Surg 58: 607–613
Campbell E, Gottschalk RB, Albany AB (1938) Osteoma of the frontal sinus and penetration of lateral ventricle, with intermittent pneumocephalus. JAMA 111: 239–241
Childrey JH (1939) Osteoma of the sinuses, the frontal and sphenoid bones. Arch Otolaryngol 30: 63–72
Gushing H (1927) Experiences with orbito-ethmoidal osteomata having intracranial complications. Surg Gynecol Obstet 44: 721–742
Delfini R, Missori P, Iannetti Get al (1993) Mucoceles of the paranasal sinuses with intracranial and intraorbital extension: report of 28 cases. Neurosurgery 32: 901–905
Diaz F, Latchow R, Duvall AJ,et al (1978) Mucoceles with intracranial and extracranial extension. J Neurosurg 48: 284–288
Earwaker J (1993) Paranasal sinus osteomas: a review of 46 cases. Skeletal Radiol 22: 417–423
Fenton WH, Donald PJ, Carlton W (1990) The pressure exerted by mucoceles in the frontal sinus. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 116: 836–840
Gay-Esconda C, Bescos-Atin MS (1990) Osteomas of the paranasal sinuses. Av Odontoestomatol 6: 587–590, 592–594, 596–598
George J, Merry GS, Jellet LB,et al (1990) Frontal sinus osteoma with complicating intracranial aerocele. Aust NZ J Surg 60: 66–68
Hallberg OE, Begley JW (1950) Origin and treatment of osteomas of the paranasal sinuses. Arch Otolaryngol 51: 750–760
Hardwidge BM, Varma TRK (1985) Intracranial aeroceles as a complication of frontal sinus osteoma. Surg Neurol 24: 401–404
Holness RO, Attia E (1994) Osteoma of the frontoethmoidal sinus with secondary brain abscess and intracranial mucocele: case report. Neurosurgery (letter) 35: 796–797
Lunardi P, Missori P, Di Lorenzo N,et al (1993) Giant intracranial mucocele secondary to osteoma of the frontal sinuses: report of two cases and review of the literature. Surg Neurol 39: 46–48
Olabe J, Carbonell J, Cunill L,et al (1993) Osteoma del seno frontal asociado a cavidad porencefalica intracraneal. Acta Otorrinolaring Esp 44: 461–464
Patterson N, Cairns H (1931) Observations on the treatment of orbital osteomas, with report of a case. Br J Ophthalmol 15: 458–467
Perugini S, Pasquini U, Menichelli Fet al (1982) Mucoceles in the paranasal sinuses involving the orbit: CT signs in 43 cases. Neuroradiology 23: 133–139
Pompili A, Mastrostefano R, Caroli F,et al (1990) Mucocele of neurosurgical interest: clinical considerations on five cases. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 102: 114–121
Pool JL, Potanos JN, Krueger EG (1962) Osteomas and mucoceles of the frontal paranasal sinuses. J Neurosurg 19: 130–135
Savic DL, Djeric DR (1990) Indications for the surgical treatment of osteomas of the frontal and ethmoid sinuses. Clin Otolaryngol 15: 397–404
Shady JA, Bland LI, Kazee AM,et al (1994) Osteoma of the frontoethmoidal sinus with secondary brain abscess and intracranial mucocele: case report. Neurosurgery 34: 920–923
Smith ME, Calcaterra TC (1989) Frontal sinus osteoma. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 98: 896–900
Som PM, Lidov M (1992) The benign fibroosseous lesion: its association with paranasal sinus mucoceles and its MRI appearance. J Comput Assist Tomogr 16: 871–876
Tamas LB, Wyler AR (1985) Intracranial mucocele mimicking arachnoid cyst: case report. Neurosurgery 16: 85–86
Teed RW (1941) Primary osteoma of the frontal sinus. Arch Otolaryngol 33: 255–292
Young WM, Rosenwasser RH (1991) Intracranial extension of a frontoethmoidal sinus mucocele. A delayed complication of chronic sinusitis. NY State J Med 91: 163–164
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brunori, A., de Santis, S., Bruni, P. et al. Life threatening intracranial complications of frontal sinus osteomas: Report of two cases. Acta neurochir 138, 1426–1430 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01411121
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01411121