Suppurative Complications of Frontal Sinusitis in Children

Abstract

A retrospective review of children diagnosed and treated for suppurative complications of paranasal sinusitis was undertaken to describe clinical presentation, microbiology, and treatment. This review includes children with subgaleal abscess and osteomyelitis of the frontal bone, subdural empyema, frontal lobe abscess, meningitis, and encephalitis. Staphylococcus aureus and group C β-hemolytic Streptococcus were isolated agents. All children were treated with intravenous antibiotics with drainage of both the sinus and extracranial and intracranial suppurations. Results of treatment in the series support the opinion that combined aggressive surgical and antibiotic treatment is a preferred method in complicated sinusitis in children.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Wald E , Bordley W , Darrow D , et al. Clinical practice guideline: management of sinusitis. Pediatrics. 2001;108:798-808.

Lerner DN , Choi SS , Zalzal GH , et al. Intracranial complications of sinusitis in childhood. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1995;104:288-294.

Clayman GL , Adams GL , Paugh DR , et al. Intracranial complications of paranasal sinusitis: a combined institutional review. Laryngoscope. 1991;101:234-239.

Dolan R , Chowdhury K . Diagnosis and treatment of intracranial complications of paranasal sinus infections. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1995;53:1080-1087.

Jordan J , Stankiewicz C , Ihnatowicz A . Sinusogenic intracranial complications (in Polish). Otolaryngol Pol. 1997;30(suppl):286-288.

Jones NS , Walker JL , Bassi S , et al. The intracranial complications of rhinosinusitis: can they be prevented? Laryngoscope. 2002;112:59-63.

Marianowski R , Forcioli J , Bouhnik M , et al. Intracranial complications of ethmoiditis evidenced by magnetic resonance imaging. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2001;110:592-595.

Thorp MA , Roche P , Nilssen ELK , et al. Complicated acute sinusitis and the computed tomography anatomy of the ostiomeatal unit in childhood. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 1999;49:189-195.

Ong YK , Tan HKK . Suppurative intracranial complications of sinusitis in children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2002;66:49-54.

10.

Johnson DL , Markle BM , Wiedermann BL , et al. Treatment of intracranial abscesses associated with sinusitis in children and adolescents. J Pediatr. 1988;113:15-23.

11.

Bambakidis N , Cohen A . Intracranial complications of frontal sinusitis in children: Pott’s puffy tumor revisited. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2001;35:82-89.

12.

Singh B , Van Dallen J , Ramjettan S , et al. Sinogenic intracranial complications. J Laryngol Otol. 1995;109:945-950.

13.

Rosenfeld EA , Rowley AH . Infectious intracranial complications of sinusitis, other than meningitis in children: 12 year review. Clin Infect Dis. 1994;18:750-754.

14.

Altman KW , Austin MB , Tom LWC , et al. Complications of frontal sinusitis in adolescents: case presentations and treatment options. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 1997;41:9-20.

15.

May MLA . Severe consequences of sinusitis. J Paediatr Child Health. 2004;40:311-314.

16.

Brook I . Bacteriology of acute and chronic frontal sinusitis. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002;128:583-585.

17.

Skelton R , Maixner W , Isaacs D . Sinusitis induced subdural empyema. Arch Dis Child. 1992;67:1478-1480.

18.

Lang EE , Curran AJ , Patil N , et al. Intracranial complications of acute frontal sinusitis. Clin Otolaryngol. 2001;26:452-457.

19.

Huijsson E , Woerdeman PA , van Diemen-Steenvoorde RA , et al. An 8-year-old boy with a Pott’s puffy tumor. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2003;67:1023-1026.