Minitrephination of the frontal sinus: indications and uses in today's era of sinus surgery.

BACKGROUND This study reviews the role of frontal sinus minitrephination in today's era of endoscopic sinus surgery. Retrospective chart review was performed of 163 patients undergoing a total of 149 bilateral and 39 unilateral frontal sinus minitrephinations. METHODS Charts were reviewed for patient demographics and outcomes. Details obtained from the chart included type of surgery performed, reason for minitrephine placement, pathology, Lund score, complications, and endoscopic patency. RESULTS One hundred eighty-eight minitrephines were placed during 80 modified Lothrop and 108 frontal sinusotomies. Trephines were placed when there was difficulty finding the frontal recess, severe edema/polyps, obstructing frontal cells (type 3/type 4 frontoethmoidal cells and intersinus septum cell), and to aid the dissection and postoperative irrigation during the modified Lothrop. Twelve complications occurred with infection at the trephine site being the most common. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 122 months (average, 25.5 months) with 92% showing endoscopic patency at last visit. CONCLUSION Frontal sinus trephination is a safe useful procedure that can be extremely helpful in identifying the pathway to the frontal sinus. Fluorescein flushes through the trephine help guide the dissection in a modified Lothrop. Lastly, it may be used in the postoperative period to flush the sinus with saline and steroids to promote patency of the frontal sinus.