Anatomical variations in patients with chronic sinusitis

Background: Chronic sinusitis is repeated bouts of acute infection or persistent inflammation of the sinuses. The range of anatomic variants that can interfere with the mucociliary drainage of osteomeatal complex including concha bullosa, deviated nasal septum, uncinate process variations, ethmoid bulla, paradoxical middle turbinate, agger nasi and Haller cells. This is also important in surgeon point of view to know about detail knowledge of lateral nasal wall, paranasal sinuses, surrounding vital structures and anatomical variation. Methods: Observational case series study in which 90 cases of chronic rhinosinusitis patients attending the ENT outpatient department from November-2015 to November-2016 in Shri Sathya Sai Medical college and Hospital, who had chronic sinusitis for more than three months duration not responding to the medical line treatment and who are willing to undergo functional endoscopic sinus surgery are studied and statistically analysed. Results: In our study we found anatomical variation in 93% of chronic sinusitis patients. In our study it was observed that 52% of patients with two anatomical variation, 41% patients presented with single anatomical variation and 7% patients presented with no anatomical variation. In our study deviated nasal septum was the most common anatomical variant noted followed by unilateral concha bullosa, medialized uncinate process, paradoxical middle turbinate, haller cell and agger nasi. Conclusions: In our study it was concluded that presence of anatomical variations is common in patients with chronic sinusitis. Presence of more than one anatomical variations significantly contributes to disease process. Deviated nasal septum is the most common anatomical variation in our study followed by concha bullosa, medialized uncinate process.