title: Long-term stenting for chronic frontal sinus disease: case series and literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The frontal sinus outflow tract consists anatomically of narrow channels prone to stenosis. Following both endonasal and external approach surgery, up to 30 per cent of patients suffer post-operative re-stenosis of the frontal sinus outflow tract, with recurrent frontal sinus disease. This paper proposes the surgical placement of a long-term frontal sinus stent to maintain fronto-nasal patency, as an alternative to more aggressive surgical procedures such as frontal sinus obliteration and modified Lothrop procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a series of three patients with frontal sinus disease and significant co-morbidity, the latter making extensive surgery a significant health risk. We also review the relevant literature and discuss the use of long-term frontal sinus stenting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These three cases were successfully treated with long-term frontal sinus stenting. Stents remained in situ for a period ranging from 48 to over 60 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the relatively high failure rates for both endonasal and external frontal sinus surgery, with a high post-operative incidence of frontal sinus outflow tract re-stenosis, long-term stenting is a useful option in carefully selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK. benhunter@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Youngs
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Varadarajan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D015522:Frontal Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology