1984 Volume 24 Issue 2 Pages 114-123
Thirty five cases of the post operative maxillary cyst were examined and discussed radiologically with reference to the operative and histopathological findings. Prior to the examination, the radiographic appearances of the contralateral maxillary antral regions operated in the past, without no symptom, were analyzed on the frontal and sagittal tomographs, and conventional radiographs including orthopantomographs. The maximum width of the inferior nasal meatus and the vertical dimension of the orbit were measured and compared with that of 18 patients without history of the radical operation of the maxillary antrum.
And then, the form, the location and the outline of both the postoperative maxillary antrum and the cystic lesion proved by surgical investigation, were assessed and compared with each other.
The following results were obtained.
1. The inferior nasal meatus of the patient with history of the radical operation of maxillary antrum was significantly wider than that of the patient without the operation (p<0.0001).
2. Postero-anterior aspects of the postoperative maxillary antrums were classified into three types such as reduction type, depression type and maxillary antral type.
3. In the case of a good recovery from the past surgical operation, post operative maxillary antrum was placed in contact with inferior and/or middle nasal meatus.
4. Postoperative maxillary antrum was in communication with the adjacent nasal cavity through the one or more opening in the mucous membrane, while the cystic lesion was enclosed with the soft tissue, probably a cystic lesion was enclosed with the soft tissue, probably a cyst wall similar to the unsound mucous membrane.
5. The cysts rarely showed egg-shell like bony expansion, even if the lesions extended into the surrounding soft tissue. They showed, sometimes the bony defect at the anterior or posterior surface of the maxillary bone.
It was suggested that the growth potential of the post operative maxillary cyst was lower than the other cysts of the jaws and the cyst scarcely extended beyond the spaces, originally ocupied by the maxillary sinus. Differential diagnosis between the post operative maxillary cyst and the post operative maxillary antrum could not be made radiographically untill the communication between the nasal acvity and the questionable radiolucent area was proved by the frontal tomography.
