[Chronic unilateral maxillary sinusitis caused by foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus]

Abstract

Chronic maxillary sinusitis is a common condition. The disease is most often caused by blockage of the sinus ostia or presence of an oroantral fistula. We report two cases of unilateral chronic maxillary sinusitis associated with foreign bodies in the maxillary sinus. In the first case the foreign body consisted of dental amalgam, in the second case of two silastic sponges left behind from a former operation because of "blowout" fracture. In the case of benign chronic maxillary sinusitis and foreign bodies, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) preceded by a CT-scan is an excellent approach, by which diagnosis as well as treatment can be achieved with minimal surgical trauma.