2024 Volume 70 Issue 2 Pages 70-77
Sphenoid sinus fungus ball (FB) is a relatively rare disease. However, its incidence is increasing. As the sphenoid sinus is located in close proximity to anatomically important structures, surgical removal of the fungal mass should be performed as early as possible. We herein describe the cases of patients with sphenoid sinus FB. One case was cured by outpatient treatment, while the other was treated surgically because the disease persisted after outpatient treatment. We also compared these two cases with 18 cases of sphenoid sinus FB that were treated in our department in the past 5 years. In sphenoid sinus FB, when the natural ostium of the sphenoid sinus is enlarged or fungal masses are present outside the natural ostium or in the posterior ethmoid sinus on imaging, the sphenoethmoidal recess should be observed closely with endoscopy. Removal of the fungal mass outside the sphenoid ostium may improve aeration in the sphenoid sinus, which may facilitate spontaneous healing or alleviate inflammation in the sphenoid sinus, as occurred in one of our cases.
