Mucociliary function during maxillary sinus floor elevation.

Maxillary sinus floor elevation carries the potential risk of compromising the sinus physiology. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess mucociliary function during maxillary sinus augmentation in patients without preoperative signs of maxillary sinusitis. Ten patients underwent unilateral sinus floor elevation under local anesthesia and endoscopic control. Methylene blue was dropped on the floor of the maxillary sinus to evaluate mucociliary function until the ostium region during sinus augmentation. The drainage of methylene blue was noticed in the lateral, medial, posterior, and anterior walls and in the roof of the sinus. As for the sinus floor, only the detached part of mucosa in correspondence of the eroded bony window presented not drained methylene blue, showing an absence of mucociliary function. Mucociliary function is preserved even during the surgical procedure except for the detached area of the schneiderian membrane.