Quantitative impact of pediatric sinus surgery on facial growth.
OBJECTIVE
To quantitatively evaluate the long-term impact of sinus surgery on paranasal sinus development in the pediatric patient.


METHODS
Longitudinal review of eight pediatric patients treated with unilateral sinus surgery for periorbital or orbital cellulitis with an average follow-up of 6.9 years. Control subjects consisted of two groups, 9 normal adult patients with no computed tomographic evidence of sinusitis and 10 adult patients with scans consistent with sinusitis and a history of sinus-related symptoms extending to childhood.


METHODS
Application of computed tomography (CT) volumetrics, a technique allowing for precise calculation of volumes using thinly cut CT images, to the study and control groups.


RESULTS
Paired Student t test analyses of side-to-side volume comparisons in the normal patients, patients with sinusitis, and patients who had surgery revealed no statistically significant differences. Comparisons between the orbital volumes of patients who did and did not have surgery revealed a statistically significant increase in orbital volume in patients who had surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Only minimal changes in facial volume measurements have been found, confirming clinical impressions that sinus surgery in children is safe and without significant cosmetic sequelae.
Senior
B
B
Division of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7070, USA.
Wirtschafter
A
A
Mai
C
C
Becker
C
C
Belenky
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed