European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

MEAN VOLUMETRIC DIMENSIONS AND PNEUMATIZATION TYPES OF SPHENOID SINUS IN A NIGERIAN POPULATION (A CROSS-SECTIONAL RADIOLOGICAL STUDY).

*Kpuduwei Selekeowei Peter Kespi, Oladipo Gabriel Sunday, Agi Chukuemeka Emmanuel, Ajoku Uchenna, Kiridi Enefia Kelvin, Oyakhire Michael Omonkheoa

ABSTRACT

Background: The sphenoid sinus is the most inaccessible among the paranasal sinuses. Nevertheless, it is of great surgical importance to both otorhinolaryngologists and neurosurgeons due to its role in chronic sinusitis and endonasal trans-sphenoidal skull base surgeries respectively. Objectives: This study was aimed at measuring the dimensions of the sphenoid sinus in adult Nigerians with the objectives of establishing mean values for anatomists and surgeons. It also attempted to find the commonest pneumatization types among the study population and whether there exit sexual differences in these parameters. Materials and Method: Since computerized tomography (CT) scan is the investigation of choice for bony structures, the evaluation was done using axial CT scans with 3D for precise assessment and measurement in bone window. Sixty-three adult subjects of both sexes of Nigerian descent residing in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa were used for the study. Results: The mean volume of the sphenoid sinus for males (14.62±6.24cm3) was found to be higher than that of the females (13.84±5.82cm3) however, this difference was not significant statistically (p>0.05). The sellar type of pneumatization was found to be predominant (70%), pre-sellar type was less (30%), while the conchal type was not found at all (0%). Conclusion: The present study suggests that although sexual differences do occur as documented they are not always significant. It also suggests that whereas, qualitative differences do occur as seen in the pneumatization pattern, the Nigerian population share some similarity in sinus size with other populations as documented in literature.

Keywords: sphenoid, sinus, pneumatization, dimension, Nigerian, variation.