Abstract
In six years (1972-1977), fourty-four cases of frontal mucoceles were observed clinically and pathologically, in our clinic. The 44 cases were classified into 4 groups, according to the location of the mucocele, 1) frontal type, 4 cases, 2) front-ethmoidal type, 31 cases 3) ethmoidal type, 7cases and 4) combined type, 2 cases. Ophthalmological symptoms and signs were found 70% of the cases. Pathological finding in the nose and parasinuses on the side of the mucoceles were seen in the majority of the cases.
Nineteen of the 44 cases had previously undergone sinultaneous antrostomy and ethmoidectomy, and the frontal, front-ethamoidal and ethmoidal types complained of initial mucoceles symptoms 3.5, 12.0, 8.5 years on the average, respectively, after antrostomy and ethmoidectomy.
The average age at the onset of symptoms in these cases was 45.9 years. On the other hand, in the cases without prior surgery the average age was 55.3 years.
Operations were performed in 42 of the 44 cases, and orbital bone destruction was found in all operated cases including two with posterior wall destruction.
Surface observation by S. E. M. in 12 cases revealed that although the pseudostratified ciliated epitherium had undergone various changes, the main characteristic of mucoceles was the decrease of ciliated cells and the increase of non-ciliated cells.
In this disease, the epithelium has a tendency to develop into a simple squamous epithelium.
