VIVA – Anatomy – Rhinology Flashcards
Accessory maxillary ostia incidence?
10%
How do you manage Accessory maxillary ostia intraoperatively?
Join to main ostium to avoid re-circulation
Describe the Caldwell Luc procedure
Caldwell-Luc operation is a process of opening the maxillary antrum through canine fossa by sublabial approach and dealing with the pathology inside the antrum.
- Incision. A horizontal incision with its ends upward is made below the gingivolabial sulcus, from lateral incisor to the 2nd molar. It cuts through mucous membrane and periosteum.
- Elevation of flap. The mucoperiosteal flap is raised from the canine fossa to the infraorbital nerve avoiding injury to the nerve
- Opening the antrum. Using cutting burr or gouge and hammer, a hole is made in the antrum. Opening is enlarged using Kerrison’s punch.
- Dealing with pathology. Once maxillary antrum has been opened, pathology is removed. Diseased antral mucosa can be removed with elevators, curettes and forceps. Cyst, benign tumour, foreign body or a polyp is removed .
- Making nasoantral window. A curved haemostat is pushed into the antrum from the inferior meatus and then this opening is enlarged with Kerrison’s and sidebiting forceps to make a window, 1.5 cm in diameter.
- Packing the antrum
Indications Caldwell Luc procedure?
Adjunct to transnasal removal of benign tumours such as inverting papilloma, JNA
Chronic intractable maxillary sinusitis with failed endoscopic management
Antrochonal polyp with failed endoscopic management
Biopsy of malignant masses
Open reduction and repair of orbital floor #
Access to pterygopalatine fossa, trans-antral sphenoidotomy, orbital decompression
Removal of odotogenic tumours and cysts
How is this different to canine fossa trephine?
Removal of the anterior wall of the maxilla, as in a Caldwell-Luc technique, gives superb access but has a very high risk of complications, particularly infraorbital hypes- thesia, dental or lip pain, and numbness. The creation of additional incisions, increased discomfort, bleeding, and the potential for cosmetic deformities have discouraged sur- geons from using this approach. Canine fossa trephine involves single hole into maxillary sinus without removing all of ant wall
What are the attachments of the uncinate process?
Sickle shaped bone extending from frontal recess superiorly and IT inferiorly
Middle and horizontal portions attach to lacrimal bone, frontal process of maxilla and ethmoidal process of IT
What are the variations of the sup attachment of the uncinate process inc%?
Insertion on to LP, BOS, MT
70-80%, 10, 5-10%
What is the recessus terminalis?
Ethmoid infundibulum terminates in blind recess known as RT when superior attachment of the uncinate is to LP
What are the variations in the anatomy of the uncinate process?
Attachment of uncinate to MT pushes frontal drainage pathway posteriorly
What is silent sinus syndrome?
Constellation of progressive enopthalmos and hypoglobus due to gradual collapse of orbital floor with opacification of maxillary sinus, in presence of subclinical maxillary sinusitis
Pathogenesis of silent sinus syndrome?
Occurs secondary to maxillary sinus hypoventilation due to obstruction of OMU à resorption of gases into capillaries of closed sinus cavity à negative pressure à accumulation of secretions with chronic subclinical inflamm à maxillary atelectasis and wall collapse
Treatment of silent sinus syndrome?
- endoscopic surgery to re-establish maxillary aeration and drainage
- orbital repair can be staged
Why is FESS dangerous in silent sinus syndrome?
Uncinate retracted laterally and atelectatic – possibility of injuring orbit
What is the hiatus semilunaris?
Two-dimensional cleft between the concave free posterior border of the uncinate process and the convex anterior surface of the ethmoidal bulla.
Define the Osteomeatal complex
OMC is a functional entity that included middle turbinate, uncinate process, ethmoid bulla, semilunar hiatus and ethmoid infundibulum.
OMC is final common pathway for drainage and ventilation of frontal, maxillary sinuses and ant.ethmoidal cells.
OMC is related with pathogenesis of nasal sinusitis and it is basis of functional nasal endoscopic surgery.
What are the boundaries of the infundibulum?
3 dimensional space in the lateral wall of the nose.
- Lateral wall = lamina papyracea, frontal process of the maxilla +/- lacrimal bone.
- Anterior border is formed by the acute angle the uncinate forms with the lateral wall of the nose.
- Bony defects in the region of the attachment of the uncinate to the inferior turbinate are closed in by periosteum and mucosa and form the anterior fontanelle.
- The medial wall of the infundibulum is formed by the uncinate process.
- The posterior border of the ethmoidal infundibulum is the anterior surface of the ethmoidal bulla.
- Superiorly, the configuration of the ethmoidal infundibulum and its relationship to the frontal recess depend on the attachments of the uncinate process.
- Uncinate process attaches to the lamina papyracea,
- Ethmoidal infundibulum is closed superiorly
- Infundibulum and the frontal recess are separated from each other and the frontal recess opens into the middle meatus between the uncinate and the middle turbinate.
- Uncinate process can attach to the roof of the ethmoid or to the middle turbinate à in both of these cases the frontal recess will open directly into the ethmoidal infundibulum.
- Uncinate process attaches to the lamina papyracea,
Name the lamella of the ethmoid bone in order
Vertical, Grand, Horizontal
Draw the lateral nasal wall & Label the bones forming it

Define the following cells : Agger Nasi
The most anterior ethmoidal cell
Found anterosuperior to the attachment of the middle turbinate to the lateral nasal wall
Posterior wall of the agger nasi cell usually forms the anterior wall of the frontal recess
Present in 93-98%
Define the following cells - Kuhn
Frontal cells – see below
Define the following cells - Suprabullar
Cells above the BE that don’t enter the frontal recess
Define the following cells - Haller
Anterior Ethmoidal cell pneumatising into the maxillary sinus above the ostium
Incidental finding in 45%
Can obstruct osteomeatal complex
Define the following cells - Onodi (inc Incidence?Significance?)
A posterior ethmoid cell that pneumatises into the superolateral aspect of the sphenoid sinus.
May result in pneumatisation around the ICA / Optic nerve
Seen in 9-12%
If present can place optic nerve at risk
Concha bullosa
Pneumatised MT













