Medialization of the lamina papyracea after endoscopic ethmoidectomy: comparison of preprocedure and postprocedure computed tomographic scans.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article is to report computed tomography demonstration of medial bowing of the lamina papyracea in 5 patients after internal ethmoidectomy.


METHODS
We identified 5 patients who had apparent medial bowing of the lamina papyracea after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and who had preoperative scans available. Preoperative and postoperative scans were reviewed using a 3-dimensional workstation to ensure similar angulation of the slices before measurement. Measurements of the interorbital distance and also the position of the posterior margin of the globe relative to a line connecting the lateral orbital walls were performed.


RESULTS
Each of the patients demonstrated a decrease in the interorbital distance on the postoperative scan. Measurement of globe position showed that 9 of the 10 globes lay in a more posterior position within the orbit on postoperative examination.


CONCLUSIONS
Medial bowing of the lamina papyracea may occur as a result of FESS and may lead to relative enophthalmos in comparison. The incidence of this phenomenon is unknown because most patients are not reimaged after FESS.
Cunnane
Mary Elizabeth
ME
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Mary_Beth_Cunnane@meei.harvard.edu
Platt
Michael
M
Caruso
Paul A
PA
Metson
Ralph
R
Curtin
Hugh D
HD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004724:Endoscopy; D005004:Ethmoid Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome