The relationship between anatomical variations of the sino-nasal region and chronic sinusitis extension in children.

OBJECTIVE

To report the prevalence of paranasal sinus anatomic variations and their relationship with the extent of chronic sinusitis in pediatric population.

METHOD: This is a prospective study of all the cases of persistent pediatric chronic sinusitis despite medical therapy that presented to the otolaryngology clinics of King Abdullah University Hospital in Irbed, Jordan, and had coronal computed tomography examination of the nose and paranasal sinuses as part of their diagnostic or preoperative work up, between the periods of April 2006 and August 2007. Sixty-five cases met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Cases were further subdivided into three groups according to age. Group 1: with ages from 5 to 7 years; group 2: ages 8-12; and group 3: above 12 years. The scans were analyzed for the presence of anatomical variations, and disease extension. Correlation between anatomical variations and disease extension was the primary outcome measure.

RESULTS

There were 30 boys and 35 girls with an average age of 11.4 (age ranges from 5 to 16). The maxillary sinus was the most commonly involved sinus, followed by the ethmoid, sphenoid, and frontal sinuses. Agger nasi cell was the most common anatomical variation, followed by concha bullosa of middle turbinate. The frequency of most of these variants differed widely between groups 1 and 2, groups 1 and 3, but not between groups 2 and 3. No significant correlation was found between these anatomical variants and the extent of chronic sinusitis.

CONCLUSION

Anatomical variations in the nose and paranasal sinuses are common in children with chronic sinusitis. Although the prevalence of these variations changes during childhood development they are unlikely to predict the extent and severity of chronic rhinosinusitis in pediatric age group.