Abstract
High frequency of the bony deposition and the bony absorption observed inside of maxillary sinus indicated the prevalence of the maxillary sinusitis. It is pointed out that the inflammation frequency of maxillary sinusitis has the close relationship with a living environment. However, there were few studies on the epidemic study of maxillary sinusitis for a historical Japanese group. Skulls excavated from the medieval group cemetery in Kamakura Yuigahama, Japan were used. It was suitable for observation of the wall of the maxillary sinus that most of their facial bones were partly damaged. The number of skull were 592, and totally 809 maxillae were macroscopically observed under the electric light. Inner surfaces examined were superior, buccal, basal, anterior and posterior walls. The lesions were classified into seven categories such as pits, opening, spicule, bridge, lichen, mound, and lobule. As a result 56.1% of 809 sinuses and 39.6% of 2,315 walls had abnormal lesions caused by maxillary sinusitis. Previous study by Merret and Pfeiffer, 2000, reported that osseous lesions of the maxillary sinuses were observed in 49.8% of individuals of fifteen century Iroquoians who were experiencing high airborne pathogen levels and poor indoor air quality. Higher abnormal rate of our study compared with this study suggested that the environment of Kamakura city in medieval era was also poor in indoor air quality and nutritional status caused by a succession of famine and wars.
