Aspergillosis of the maxillary sinus: Report of two cases

Abstract

Fungal infections of the paranasal sinuses were considered to be rare in occurrence. However, in recent years reports of such infection seem to have increased. In this report we presented two cases of aspergillosis of the maxillary sinus.
Case 1: A 46-year-old woman was referred to our university clinic with the chief complaint of pain in the right maxilla. Sinus x-rays showed opacification of the right maxillary sinus with calcification which resembled a foreign body. Clinical diagnosis of the right maxillary sinusitis was made and the Caldwell-Luc operation was performed revealing a sinus existed with brown caseous materials. Postoperative histopathological examination of this material revealed the presence of aspergillus.
Case 2: The patient was a 42-year-old woman. After the extraction of a maxillary molar tooth, nasal discharge continued. She was referred to our university clinic by her dentist. Sinus x-rays showed opacification of the left maxillary sinus with calcification. Clinical diagnosis of the left odontogenic maxillary sinusitis was made. Similarly to case 1, the patient underwent the Caldwell-Luc operation which revealed brown caseous materials, and postoperative microscopic examination revealed septate fungal organisms consistent with aspergillus.