The surgical approach to frontal sinus disease has been subject to much variation in the past 100 years. The variety of procedures is actually based on very few experiments in which the results are often conflicting.
A review of basic research in the pathogenesis and treatment of frontal sinus disease reveals that with the exception of the osteoplastic fat obliteration procedure, the classical experimental method of laboratory evaluation prior to clinical implementation has been, for the most part, ignored. The response to infection of the ciliated sinus mucosa and its role in the further propagation of frontal sinusitis is poorly understood. The conditions under which the sinus mucosa regenerates have not been clearly defined, nor has complete reformation of the mucosa membrane been consistent experimentally or clinically.
The presumptive role of the nasofrontal duct in the pathogenesis of frontal sinusitis and mucocele is based solely on inference from clinical material.
The variations of frontal osteoplasty each have limitations in reliability and prevention of recurrent disease.
The development of a canine frontal sinus model with which to examine several of these problems is discussed.