Evaluation of Pneumatization Pattern of Sphenoid Sinus on Computed Tomography Scan in an Urban Nigerian Population

Abstract

Background: The pneumatization pattern of the sphenoid sinus (SS) is highly variable. A good understanding of sphenoid sinus pneumatization is critical for skull base surgeries and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in order to avoid serious complications. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present the pneumatization pattern of the sphenoid sinus in adult participants in our environment. Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted at a privately owned Radiodiagnostics Center after obtaining institutional ethical approval. Brain Computed Tomography images of 200 patients aged ≥18 years were studied for the variant pneumatization patterns of the sphenoid sinus. The data obtained were analyzed using the statistical package for social science, IBM SPSS (version 25.0 by incorporation, Chicago - Illinois, USA 2017). The continuous variables will be expressed as means (x) and standard deviation (SD). P-value was considered significant at <0.05. P-value was considered significant at <0.05. Results: The majority of the participants were males 118 (59%) with a mean age of 48.3 ±18.1 years while the female patients were 82(41%) with a mean age of 47.4 ±17.6 years. The commonest pneumatization pattern is the post sellar type 93(46.5%), followed by the sellar type 53(26.5%) then the presellar type 49(24.5%) and the least common is the conchal type 2(2.5%). None of the pneumatization patterns showed a significant age and gender difference. Sphenoid sinus agenesis was not documented. Conclusion: The postsellar and conchal type of sphenoid sinus pneumatization was found to the commonest and the least common in our environment. None of the pneumatization patterns showed a significant age and gender difference. Sphenoid sinus agenesis was not documented.