The clinical anatomy of the paranasal sinuses is detailed and complex.  As you will have seen, there is a great deal of information contained within this CAL package.

The following is a comprehensive list of important points that you should be aware of

• Sinuses are hollow cavities within the bony skull
• There are four bilateral sinuses
• These are the maxillary, ethmoid, frontal and sphenoid sinuses
• The sinuses develop during fetal development, but produce most of their growth as face shape changes with age
• Functions of the paranasal sinuses include the warming of air, lightening the skull, smell and changing the shape of the face
• They are lined by respiratory epithelium
• There are specific patterns of mucociliary clearance for each sinuses
• Each sinus drains via a duct into an ostium
• Most sinuses drain into the middle meatus
• Sinusitis is infection the paranasal sinuses, it can be acute or chronic and causes significant head pain
• Sinusitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi
• Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery is the commonest surgical treatment for sinusitis
• Awareness of the anatomical variants surrounding the paranasal sinus is important for surgery
• X-rays give good visualisation of the gross structure of the paranasal sinuses
• CT and MRI scans are used to visualise the more complex structure of the paranasal sinuses
• Cancer of the paranasal sinuses is rare
• Squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus and adenocarcinoma of the ethmoid sinus are the commonest subtypes
• Zygomaticomaxillary complex and midface fractures are the most common of facial fractures that affect the sinuses
• Recent theories focus on the role of carbon dioxide, nitic oxide, variations in sinonasal anatomy and mucus flow patterns
• Knowledge of the surrounding structures is important, in particular the nasal cavity, septum, turbinates and meatuses