Posttraumatic Frontal Mucocele

Abstract

Mucoceles of the frontal sinus are expansive cysts filled of the mucus secreted by goblet cells interspersed in the ciliated mucosa. The aim of this article was to present a case of a frontal mucocele that was developed in a 31-year-old man 19 years after having had a frontal sinus fracture. This is a rare entity. Frontal sinus fractures must be treated by a multidisciplinary team to avoid all possible sequelae. An adequate primary management of frontal sinus fractures is essential to prevent complications. This may include conservative attitude, reduction and fixation with miniplates, obliteration, cranialization, or grafting. Removal of any rest of epithelium is mandatory in this sense.

Frontal Mucocele following Contralateral Orbitopterional Craniotomy for Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma: A Short Report

“…1 The latent period may be as long as 19 years. Establishing patent frontonasal duct carries utmost importance while managing frontal sinus fractures.…”

Frontal Mucocele following Previous Facial Trauma with Hardware Reconstruction

“…Mucoceles develop from accumulation of mucoid secretions in the epithelial lining of the sinuses [1]. Expansion and destruction of the sinuses can occur with slow growth and typically occur as a result of inflammation, surgery, infection, trauma, or history of sinusitis [1, 2].…”

Delayed Post-Traumatic Fronto-Ethmoidal Sinus Mucocele Evaluated with Short and Long TE MR Spectroscopy

“…Post-traumatic mucoceles are rare entities and may occur several years after initial trauma 3 . As a consequence, the scientific literature is limited to single case descriptions (Table 1).…”

“…Although mucoceles are rare in adults, they most commonly involve the frontal sinus 2 . The most frequent causes of mucocele formation include a history of sinusitis, previous sinus surgery and trauma 3 . In addition, benign tumors such as osteomas and fibrous dysplasia, or malignant and metastatic tumors can obstruct the sinus ostium and lead to mucocele development 4,5 .…”