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The relationship between pneumatized middle turbinate and the anterior ethmoid roof dimensions: a radiologic study

  • Rhinology
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Abstract

The development of pneumatized middle turbinate may affect anterior ethmoid roof formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the pneumatized middle turbinate and the dimensions of the anterior skull base structures using computed tomography scans. The coronal reconstructed images of the computed tomography scans were evaluated retrospectively. The lateral and medial ethmoid roof points, the width of the cribriform plate (CP), and the anterior ethmoid roof were identified at the first coronal cut, which was determined by the infraorbital nerve. The pneumatized middle turbinates were measured on the axial, vertical, and sagittal planes. The images of 101 patients were evaluated. The mean axial diameters of the pneumatized middle turbinate on the right and left sides were between 6.93 and 4.95 mm, respectively. The correlation between the axial diameters of the pneumatized middle turbinate and the width of the anterior ethmoid roof (termed AER width) was significant for both sides and gender (p < 0.05). There was a higher correlation on the right side where the pneumatized middle turbinate was observed more frequently (r = 0.357). The relationship between CP width and the diameters of the pneumatized middle turbinate was not significant (p > 0.05) for both sides. Iatrogenic lesions of the skull base occur predominantly in the lateral lamella of the CP. The risk of this complication may decrease with increasing of the AER width. Pneumatized middle turbinate may cause an increase in the width of the anterior ethmoid roof and provide more reliable endoscopic intervention of the anterior skull base and frontal sinus.

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Acknowledgments

The authors declare that they have no financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Ramazan Gun, Ediz Yorgancilar, Salih Bakir & Ismail Topcu

  2. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Faysal Ekici

  3. Department of Biostatistic, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Zeki Akkus

  4. Department of Opthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Seyhmus Ari

Authors
  1. Ramazan Gun
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  2. Ediz Yorgancilar
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  3. Salih Bakir
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  4. Faysal Ekici
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  5. Zeki Akkus
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  6. Seyhmus Ari
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  7. Ismail Topcu
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Correspondence to Ramazan Gun.

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Gun, R., Yorgancilar, E., Bakir, S. et al. The relationship between pneumatized middle turbinate and the anterior ethmoid roof dimensions: a radiologic study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 270, 1365–1371 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2232-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2232-z

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