Ali Amine1, Karl John Habashy2, Elie Najem3, Rawad Abbas2, Charbel Moussalem1, Shadi Bsat1, Roula Hourany3, Houssein Darwish4. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. 2. Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. 3. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. 4. Department of Neurosurgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: hd17@aub.edu.lb.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The frontal bone is frequently approached during neurosurgical procedures. Feared complications of such surgeries include cerebrospinal fluid leak, among others, and frequently result from a breach of the frontal sinus. For this reason, the sinus should be avoided when possible. The supraorbital notch (SON) is a reliable and easily identifiable surgical landmark and its relation to the frontal sinus has been previously studied. However, the frontal sinus shows significant variability in size and shape between populations. METHODS: In the present study, we investigate the frontal sinus dimension and its relation to the SON in the Middle Eastern population. RESULTS: The analysis of a set of computed tomography scans reveals a significant variation in size between genders, and we subsequently provide neurosurgeons in the region with population-targeted, gender-specific risk maps. CONCLUSIONS: We finally conclude that a 2-cm margin rostral and lateral to the SON is safest.
BACKGROUND: The frontal bone is frequently approached during neurosurgical procedures. Feared complications of such surgeries include cerebrospinal fluid leak, among others, and frequently result from a breach of the frontal sinus. For this reason, the sinus should be avoided when possible. The supraorbital notch (SON) is a reliable and easily identifiable surgical landmark and its relation to the frontal sinus has been previously studied. However, the frontal sinus shows significant variability in size and shape between populations. METHODS: In the present study, we investigate the frontal sinus dimension and its relation to the SON in the Middle Eastern population. RESULTS: The analysis of a set of computed tomography scans reveals a significant variation in size between genders, and we subsequently provide neurosurgeons in the region with population-targeted, gender-specific risk maps. CONCLUSIONS: We finally conclude that a 2-cm margin rostral and lateral to the SON is safest.