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Complications of acute frontal sinusitis: a retrospective study

  • Rhinology
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Abstract

Even though being a rare condition in the era of antibiotic treatment, complications of acute frontal sinusitis still pose a potentially life-threatening problem. We present a clinical case series using a combined surgical approach. Within a 7 year period, all patients with a suppurative complication of an acute frontal sinusitis were included into this retrospective study and evaluated concerning histories, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and achieved outcomes. Twelve patients (11–74 years) were identified; this corresponds to 0.3% of all patients that have undergone paranasal sinus surgery and 15.4% of all patients with infectious complications of sinusitis. The cases could be subdivided as follows: intracranial complications (4/12), osteomyelitis of the frontal bone (4/12), frontal/orbital soft tissue involvement (3/12) and endoluminal empyema (1/12). These were all correctly diagnosed by CT and (especially in the cases of intracranial complications) MRI. The microbiological spectrum comprised mostly non-multiresistant Staphylococci and Streptococci. All patients received aggressive antibiotic and combined surgical treatment. Within a mean follow up period of 32 months, the disease-related mortality and the rate of severe long-term ailment was 0%. If detected and treated early, both long-term morbidity and mortality can be minimised. A close cooperation with the related specialties (neurosurgery, ophthalmology, radiology) is thereby of utmost importance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

    Christian S. Betz, Johannes Matschke, Anne Kremer & Andreas Leunig

  2. The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Wolfgang Issing

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

    Eberhard Uhl

  4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Campus Großhadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Christian S. Betz

Authors
  1. Christian S. Betz
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  2. Wolfgang Issing
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  3. Johannes Matschke
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  4. Anne Kremer
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  5. Eberhard Uhl
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  6. Andreas Leunig
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Correspondence to Christian S. Betz.

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Betz, C.S., Issing, W., Matschke, J. et al. Complications of acute frontal sinusitis: a retrospective study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 265, 63–72 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-007-0411-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-007-0411-0

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