title: Sinusology.
abstract: This paper presents a brief history of the successive anatomical, physiological and pathophysiological concepts about the paranasal sinuses. Sinusology, the science of the paranasal sinuses, is founded on scientific work on the production of nitric oxide (NO) by the sinuses and on the evo-devo theory of their formation. The paranasal sinuses seem to develop after regression of the erythropoietic marrow in the maxillary, frontal and sphenoid bones and its replacement by cavities filled with gas, which escapes into the nasal fossae through the ostium. The sinus epithelium synthesizes NO continuously. The paranasal sinus cavities form a compartmentalized reservoir of NO, which is released discontinuously in boli after an opening of the ostium. Ostium opening can be induced by sound vibration, either internal (humming) or external (an acoustic vibration added to the in-breath). NO plays the role of an "aerocrine" messenger between the upper and lower respiratory tracts, reducing pulmonary vascular resistance and facilitating alveolar oxygen transfer into the bloodstream. Its physiological role in arterial blood oxygenation could be involved in speech and singing or be activated by physiological snoring during sleep. Rhinology, the science of the nose, in which the evo-devo concept distinguishes the respiratory and the olfactory nose, is now backed up by sinusology.
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital de Brabois, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Nancy, université de Lorraine, bâtiment Louis-Mathieu, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Electronic address: r.jankowski@chu-nancy.fr.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jankowski
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital de Brabois, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Nancy, université de Lorraine, bâtiment Louis-Mathieu, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Service des examens de la fonction respiratoire et de l'aptitude à l'exercice-médecine du sport, CHRU de Nancy, 54000 Nancy, France; EA 3450 DevAH, développement, adaptation et handicap, régulations cardiorespiratoires et de la motricité, université de Lorraine, 54505 Lorraine, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poussel
authors.affiliation: Service des examens de la fonction respiratoire et de l'aptitude à l'exercice-médecine du sport, CHRU de Nancy, 54000 Nancy, France; EA 3450 DevAH, développement, adaptation et handicap, régulations cardiorespiratoires et de la motricité, université de Lorraine, 54505 Lorraine, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chenuel
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital de Brabois, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Nancy, université de Lorraine, bâtiment Louis-Mathieu, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallet
authors.affiliation: Service ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital de Brabois, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Nancy, université de Lorraine, bâtiment Louis-Mathieu, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rumeau
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000628:therapy; D004322:Drainage; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000266:history; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000601:surgery; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Evo-devo; History; Nitric oxide (NO); Paranasal sinuses; Physiology