The tenacity of the frontal sinus mucosa.

A number of persons in other surgical disciplines express a blatant disregard for the potential dangers of frontal sinus mucosal entrapment. Although bone removal is universally recommended by the otolaryngologic proponents of ablative procedures in the frontal sinus, no comprehensive explanation has been proffered to justify this dictum. To this end, 27 cats had simple excision of the frontal sinus mucosa to see if it is necessary to bur away the inner table of bone to completely eliminate all vestiges of mucosa. Mucosal regrowth was seen in 72%, and suppurative infection, in 17% of the sinuses. Burring away of the frontal sinus inner table must then be considered as an essential part of any ablative procedure of the frontal sinus.