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FRONTAL SINUS DRAINAGE SCORE AS A TOOL FOR ASSESSING OUTFLOW PATHWAYS AND GUIDING TREATMENT IN CHRONIC FRONTAL SINUSITIS

Published 2026-06-30

Authors:

Loburets A.V.
Poltava State Medical University image/svg+xml
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4164-0816
Abstract:
The frontal sinus is one of the most challenging areas in endoscopic surgery due to significant anatomical variability and the complexity of its drainage pathways, which increases the risk of chronic inflammation and recurrence. The aim of the study was to summarise current data on factors influencing the drainage function of the frontal sinus and to develop an approach to its quantitative assessment. An analysis of international and national publications was conducted, including data from computed tomography, anatomical studies and systematic reviews. It was established that the key factors in drainage impairment are a narrowing of the frontal recess to three millimetres or less, an elongation of the drainage pathway beyond ten millimetres, its more horizontal orientation, and the presence of additional anatomical structures that alter the direction of outflow. Studies have shown that complex and asymmetrical drainage trajectories contribute to mucus stasis and influence the clinical course. On this basis, a scoring system for assessing drainage function has been proposed, which allows patients to be stratified according to the complexity of drainage and enables the rational selection of treatment strategies ranging from conservative management to extensive surgical interventions, thereby improving the accuracy of preoperative planning.
Keywords:
frontal sinus international frontal sinus anatomy classification drainage pathways frontal sinus outflow tract morphometry frontal sinus drainage score
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Publication:
«World of Medicine and Biology» Vol. 22 No. 96 (2026) , с. 236-243
УДК 616.216.2-002-07-089
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26724/2079-8334-2026-2-96-236-243