Frontal sinus

The frontal sinus (sinus frontalis) is one of the sinuses ( paranasal sinuses ). It represents a mucosa -lined cavity in the frontal bone ( frontal ), the ( " sinus passageway ") of the nasal cavity communicating with the middle nasal passage. In addition, a link to the ethmoid sinuses, the extra space in horses, so that both sinuses are summarized in this species as a sine conchofrontalis. The frontal sinuses of both sides are separated by a thin septum (septum sinuum frontalium ).

Species specificities

Extent and shape of the frontal sinus are subject to large fluctuations. This applies not only for the comparison between different species, but in humans and between different individuals. There are four basic shapes for the people described: beans, leaf, mitral and pyramidal shape. The size of the human sinus varies from 0.05 to 7.8 cm3, and not infrequently the frontal sinus not (aplasia ) or only slightly ( hypoplasia ) is formed.

In cattle and pigs, the frontal sinus is very large and extends to the occiput ( occipital bone ). In horned ruminants the frontal sinus has a spur in the Horn extension ( processus cornualis ) of the skull. Therefore, in the Horn termination or at a surgical dehorning adult ruminants the frontal sinus is opened.

Development

The frontal sinus is not distinguished from the ethmoid sinuses in newborns until the age of 2 years, starts with people the pneumatization of the frontal bone, at 7- 8-year they reached the top of the eye socket.

Diseases

Like the other sinuses, the frontal sinus be concerned with diseases of the nose. An inflammation of the sinuses is called sinusitis, a collection of pus as Stirnhöhlenempyem.

In diseases or secretion retention a sinus rinse can be performed. In chronic cases, a frontal sinus radical surgery, be that is, the surgical removal of the diseased mucous membrane of the frontal sinus appears.

When people find themselves occasionally osteomas in the frontal sinus.

At a fraction of the frontal sinus, the risk of the intracranial ( meningitis or encephalitis) infection and / or the development of a CSF fistula is given with the involvement of the posterior wall.

Impressions fracture of the frontal sinus in computed tomography: 3D reconstruction in volume rendering technique.

Some sinuses, bony structures