title: History of surgical approaches to the frontal sinus.
abstract: Despite the enormous number of external and endonasal surgical techniques described for the treatment of frontal sinus disease, a single time-proven technique has yet to be obtained. The purpose of this article is to critically evaluate the lessons of more than a century of endonasal and external procedures. The past has taught us a cautionary lesson for the surgical management of chronic frontal sinus disease, respect for the severity of iatrogenic disease caused by surgical trauma, and the need for long-term follow-up before embracing any new technique to treat this notoriously difficult clinical problem.
authors.affiliation: Aesthetic Surgery Services, Kaiser Permanente Hospital System, 2025 Morse Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95825, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000601:surgery*