Surgical Management of Frontal Sinus Fractures

Standford-Moore, Gaelen; Shaye, David

Surgical Management of Frontal Sinus Fractures

Open Education Resource

2025-05-06

Abstract

The frontal sinus is a centrally located structure of functional and aesthetic importance. Fractures of the frontal sinus may occur by either blunt or penetrating trauma. The frontocranial bones have a greater thickness than their neighbouring parietal and temporal bones, as they are often subject to more forceful mechanisms of injury. For this reason frontal sinus injuries account for only 5-15% of maxillofacial injuries, and are predominantly caused by highspeed motor vehicle accidents, assaults or direct contact sports. Settings with road traffic safety laws, seatbelts, airbags, and helmet laws have significantly reduced rates of high-impact injuries. In regions with few traffic safety measures (e.g. helmet laws, seatbelt laws) frontal sinus fractures are frequently seen. Without proper treatment, frontal sinus fractures may lead to a wide array of complications including facial deformity, CSF leak, mucocoele and death. For these reasons, proper diagnosis and treatment of acute frontal sinus injuries remains an important part of treating head and neck trauma.