Delayed development of an ectopic frontal sinus mucocele after pediatric cranial trauma.

We describe the delayed occurrence of a frontal sinus mucocele 14 years after the original trauma. The patient presented with a laterally displaced, enlarging mass that encroached on the dura. The sterile mucocele was removed, and the cranial defect was reconstructed with methyl methacrylate and wire mesh. Our experience confirms the known but rarely observed late development of a mucocele after pediatric facial trauma. To prevent the sequela of mucocele development, the mucosa of the rudimentary frontal sinus in the pediatric patient must be carefully sought and ablated during reconstructive procedures of the forehead when traumatic injury significantly disrupts the normal bony anatomy.