Techniques in frontal sinus fracture repair

Frontal Bone Fractures and Frontal Sinus Injuries: Treatment Paradigms

Background:

Timely, expeditious and appropriate management of Frontal bone fractures and associated Frontal Sinus (FS) injuries are both crucial as well as challenging. Treatment options vary considerably, depending upon the nature, extent and severity of these injuries as well as operator skill, expertise and experience. In cases of posterior table fractures of the Frontal Sinus, literature reports have in general, propounded direct visualization and exploration of the sinus via a bifrontal craniotomy, followed by sinus cranialization.

Aims and Objectives:

To review the standard protocols of management of Frontal bone fractures and Frontal Sinus injuries. To assess the efficacy of a more conservative approach in the management of outer and inner table fractures of the FS.

Materials and Methods:

Contemporary and evolving management protocols and changing treatment paradigms of different types and severities of frontal bone fractures and frontal sinus injuries, have been presented in this case series. A useful Treatment Algorithm has been proposed to efficiently and effectively manage these injuries.

Results:

In the present case series, effective and satisfactory results could be achieved in cases of significantly displaced inner and outer table fractures of the Frontal sinus by a more conservative protocol comprising of open reduction and internal fixation carried out via the existing scar of injury, without having to resort to the more radical intracranial approach and sinus cranialization. Nevertheless, presence of complicating factors such as cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, evidence of meningitis or the development of encephalomeningocoeles necessitated the standard protocol of sinus exploration and its cranialization or obliteration.

Conclusion:

Management protocols of Frontal Sinus injuries vary, based on aspects such as the timing of presentation and intervention, degree of injury sustained, concomitant associated Craniomaxillofacial injuries present, presence of complicating factors or Secondary/Residual deformities & Functional debility, and need to be decided upon on a case to case basis.

Endoscopy-Assisted Frontal Sinus Obliteration

Comminuted fractures of the anterior table of the frontal sinus involving frontonasal ducts are traditionally treated with sinus obliteration. This technique entails precise mucosa removal which requires unimpeded visualization of the bony recesses. To achieve adequate access to the mucosa, temporary removal of a large part of the frontal bone may often be necessary. This in turn increases fracture comminution requiring placement of additional hardware associated with the risk for bony malalignment, infection, plate palpability, and visibility, especially in thin-skin individuals. Endoscopy, offering magnified visualization and less invasive access, is reported to be beneficial in sinus injury management. Therefore, it may be also considered an adjunct in open-approach management of severely comminuted fractures.The authors' patient suffered from comminuted fractures of the anterior and posterior tables of the frontal sinus and nasal bone fractures with involvement of the frontonasal ducts. Due to the extent of the injury he underwent frontal sinus obliteration procedure using the pericranial flap. To avoid additional osteotomy, endoscopic approach was undertaken to achieve the complete removal of the sinus mucosa. The fracture by itself offered an "access port" for the endoscope and electrical cautery. The patient's recovery was uneventful.Endoscopy employed in frontal sinus obliteration appears to be instrumental in obtaining meticulous mucosa removal, obviating the need for additional osteotomy of the frontal bone.

Frontal Sinus Fractures

The frontal bone serves a protective role, representing the transition between the facial skeleton and the cranium. Within its enclosure, the frontal sinus lies adjacent to many important intracranial structures, and injury to this region has severe complications if not properly managed. Historically, the goals of frontal sinus fracture management have been to best prevent intracranial complications with invasive procedures, but a recent shift favoring conservative management now aims to preserve the form and function of the frontal sinus and its outflow tract. With the advancement of endoscopic techniques and the development of new technologies, many alternatives to aggressive surgical management are available.

Endoscopic repair of isolated anterior table frontal sinus fractures without fixation

Frontal sinus fractures constitute 5% to 15% of maxillofacial fractures, and isolated anterior table injuries account for 33% of frontal sinus fractures. The treatment strategy of frontal sinus fractures should be individualized according to the extent of the injury. Endoscope-assisted repair without any fixation method for the treatment of mildly and moderately displaced (1-5 mm) and closed isolated anterior table frontal sinus fractures is a good alternative technique for treatment.Between April 2010 and December 2011, 5 patients with mildly and moderately displaced isolated anterior table fractures were treated. There were no lacerations in forehead skin of the patients. Preoperatively, the patients showed forehead depression at the fracture site, and computed tomography scan was taken to determine the extent of the frontal sinus fracture. Endoscope-assisted closed reduction treatment was applied to all patients.All fractures were reduced successfully. None of the patients needed to undergo conversion to traditional incision techniques. No patients required fixation materials. Cosmetic deformity was corrected in all patients perfectly.In the standard treatment modality of frontal sinus fractures, repair is best performed by a coronal approach. However, bicoronal incision has many disadvantages. Several authors have recently described some endoscopic and closed approaches to these injuries. The main disadvantages of these methods are poor visualization or fixation requirement with exogenous materials.Endoscopic reduction of mildly and moderately displaced closed isolated anterior table frontal sinus fractures without fixation is feasible. It results in a good clinical outcome in selected cases.

Orbital and facial fractures

This article reviews the importance of particular radiologic findings related to facial trauma and their implications for clinical and surgical management. An emphasis is placed on critical imaging signs that warrant immediate surgical attention.

Frontal sinus fractures

The management of frontal sinus fractures has changed over the past 20 years. Whereas the indications for an invasive procedure had been much broader in the past, it has become more common to treat these fractures conservatively, due to improved imaging modalities, the advent of endoscopic surgical treatment of the nasofrontal outflow tracts, and the improved understanding of frontal sinus physiology. A variety of algorithms have been proposed for the management of frontal sinus fractures; however, we present a simplified treatment algorithm, which uses cranialization, obliteration, reconstruction, observation, and endoscopic sinus surgery.