title: Surgical distance to the sphenoid ostium: a comparison of healthy patients and patients with cystic fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish and compare the distance and angle from the limen nasi to the sphenoid ostium in pediatric patients with normal sinonasal anatomy vs pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of computed tomographic images.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary university-based medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (newborn to age 20 years) with normal sinonasal anatomy (n = 117) or CF (n = 15).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a fourth-degree polynomial to curve-fit the distance to the sphenoid ostium vs age for patients with normal sinonasal anatomy, producing a coefficient of determination (R(2)) of 82%. With this regression curve, we produced a normative distance equation and a normative distance graph using age to predict the distance (95% confidence interval). We validated the normative distance curve fit among 30 new pediatric patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in the distance to the sphenoid ostium was found between healthy patients and patients with CF. There was no correlation between age and angle in either patient group. The mean (SD) angle was statistically different between healthy patients (37.5 degrees [7.5 degrees]) and patients with CF (41.4 degrees [7.4 degrees]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using a normative distance graph and the mean angle, surgeons performing pediatric endoscopic sinus surgery can predict the distance to the sphenoid ostium for healthy patients and for patients with CF. These findings may decrease complications of endoscopic sinus surgery among the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shamir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandarana
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husein
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Duncan L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: MacRae
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult