Endoscopic Frontal Sinus Surgery Using a Silicone Tube as a Stent

Abstract

We reported treatment of frontal cysts using silicone stents in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). We treated 7 cases (8 sides) of frontal sinus cyst (6 men and 1 woman 28 to 70 years old), using silicone stents in endoscopic sinus surgery in the last 4 years and 3 months. A silicone tube was placed in a naso-frontal duct as a stent. We tried to leave it in place for at least three months. Drafs plastic surgery of a naso-frontal duct was conducted concomitantly with ESS in 4 cases (5 sides).
Patients were followed up for 23 to 61 months (average 41.3 months). No recurrence was observed in CT and preoperative complaints disappeared in 7 of 8 sides.
Silicone tubes were removed within 1 month in 2 of 8 sides because of spontaneous stent ejection (1), and headache (1). Spontaneous stent ejection was observed in 3 of 8 sides (38%). The bony closure of the naso-frontal duct and recurrent frontal sinusitis occurred in 1 of 8 sides (13%), and additional surgery was conducted using external incisions.
Our study shows that ESS surgery with the placement of silicone stents is useful in the treatment of frontal cysts.