Is There a Coexistence Between Smaller Maxillary and Frontal Sinus Volume and Narrow Internal Nasal Valve Angle? Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Assessment

Objective: Pneumatization of paranasal sinuses varies greatly between patients, and certain pneumatization variants have been associated with specific clinical conditions. The present research aimed to evaluate the presence of coexistence smaller maxillary and frontal sinus volume and narrow internal nasal valve angle and whether this association is significant. Methods: Sixty patients aged above 18 years old who underwent surgery for caudal septal deviation at the ear nose throat department of a tertiary care hospital between 2018 and 2021 were included in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The internal nasal valve angle was measured from reformatted coronal computed tomography scans. The maxillary sinus volume and frontal sinus volume were calculated using a workstation. The maxillary sinus and frontal sinus volumes were classified as narrow side and wide side according to the internal nasal valve angle measurements. The narrow- and wide-side maxillary sinus and frontal sinus volumes were compared within each other. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the maxillary sinus volumes of the narrow internal nasal valve angle side and wide internal nasal valve angle side (mean ± SD: 14.47 ± 5.45 and 15.21 ± 5.31 mL, respectively, P=.014). There was a statistically significant difference between the frontal sinus volumes of the narrow internal nasal valve angle side and wide internal nasal valve angle side (median: 2.85 and 3.08 mL, respectively, P < .001). Conclusion: The maxillary sinus and frontal sinus volumes ipsilateral to the narrow internal nasal valve angle sides were significantly decreased. This coexistence may be significant. Further studies are needed to explain the significance of this association. Cite this article as: Yıldız S, Balık AÖ, Zer Toros S. Is there a coexistence between smaller maxillary and frontal sinus volume and narrow internal nasal valve angle? three-dimensional computed tomography assessment. B-ENT. 2023;19(1):9-13.