Cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus. A case report.

The paper firstly represents two cases of cholesterol granuloma of the maxillary sinus in China. The common symptoms of the disease include nasal obstruction and bone erosion in severe case. The disease is related to obstruction of the antral ostia, hemorrhage into polypoidal mucosal disease or cholesterol precipitation in the walls of antral cyst. A review of the literature on cholesterol granuloma suggests that poor ventilation in a closed space and long-standing inflammation with effusion or hemorrhage contribute to the formation of cholesterol granuloma. Long-lasting cure is achieved by radical maxillary sinusotomy which is the main therapeutic means.