Frontal Sinus Surgery Anterior to the Ethmoid Bulla

Abstract

The frontal sinus surgery is difficult to perform but the ethmoid bulla is a relative, constant landmark in the middle turbinate that can improve the surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity, security, and predominance of approaches to the frontal sinus via the route anterior to the ethmoid bulla. The data from 370 endoscopic frontal sinus surgery cases from our center were integrated and retrospectively analyzed. Three hundred twenty-nine patients underwent frontal sinus surgery via the route anterior to the ethmoid bulla. An additional 27 patients underwent frontal sinus surgery with mini-trephination, 13 patients with the Draf II procedure, and 1 patient had applied MELP (modified endoscopic Lothrop procedure). No serious complications occurred; however, there were 3 cases of eyelid ecchymosis and 1 case of anterior ethmoid artery bleeding. In all, 319 patients (86.2%) were cured, an improvement was noted in 36 of the patients (9.7%), and there was no improvement in 15 patients (4.1%). Frontal sinus surgery via the route anterior to the ethmoid bulla is valid, relatively safe, and can be applied in most cases involving frontal disease.