Symptomatic Unilateral Maxillary Sinusitis: A Cross- Sectional Retrospective Study

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of the present retrospective cross-sectional study was to identify the etiologies, clinical and radiological aspects of symptomatic unilateral maxillary sinusitis requiring hospitalization and to discuss surgical treatment indications. Material and methods: The medical records of 115 patients suffering from symptomatic unilateral maxillary sinusitis (SULMS) between 2010 and 2019, were examined. A total of 46 patients were selected by collecting data from the patients' medical records. Results: The aetiology of SULMS was in 23.9% of cases of dental origin and in 76.1% of cases of rhinogenic origin. Rhinological signs were predominant, dominated by nasal obstruction (56.52%) and headache (52.17%). The computerized tomography (CT) scan showed diffuse sinus opacity without fluid level in 43.5% of cases. The surgery indication was in 41.3% of cases due to medical treatment failure and to the presence of intra-sinusal foreign body in 10.9% of cases. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that general state of health, age, sex, sinusitis etiology, middle meatus obstruction and local anatomical factors do not appear to be factors influencing management compared to the chronic evolution of sinusitis (P=0.03). This study has shed light on dental infectious foci involvement in both the initiation and flare up of unilateral maxillary sinusitis.