Gas Absorption From Frontal Sinuses

A small osteoma of the frontal sinus causing headaches

“…Experimental studies showed pathological findings after occlusion of the nasofrontal duct. Loring and Tenney (1973) found gas absorption in a sealed frontal sinus in cats. Schenk et al (1974) found no evidence of sinus infection or muocele secondary to canine nasal frontal occlusion; however, on X-rays, cloudi- ness of the obstructed sinus was detected.…”

Gas Exchange in Body Cavities

“…When there is net gas absorption, the gas entering the cavity is usually different from the resident gas, and the steady‐state concentrations and flux rates reflect this continuous bulk movement. Examples of open nonventilated cavities include the paranasal sinuses (18, 27) and perhaps the unventilated lung. When the cavity opening becomes blocked, pressure within the cavity changes and the cavity usually behaves like a closed rigid cavity.…”

“…Occasionally tracers have been used to estimate changes in gas volume (2). Gas fluxes have also been studied in closed rigid gas cavities, where both the rate of pressure change (18, 27, 36) and the maximal pressure achieved (5, 19) have been measured, although the latter is strongly influenced by the characteristics of leaks into the cavity. Net gas flux into an open nonventilated cavity can be measured directly (18, 27) or indirectly (7).…”

“…Gas exchange in body cavities does have direct physiological significance, and the absorption of gas from cavities and the elaboration of gas into them contribute to disease. For example, absorption of gas from alveoli distal to closed airways in the lungs leads to atelectasis, and elaboration of gas into various body cavities like the middle ear, bowel, and cerebral ventricles can be a hazard of anesthetic gas administration (6, 18, 20, 27, 29).…”

“…Gas fluxes have also been studied in closed rigid gas cavities, where both the rate of pressure change (18, 27, 36) and the maximal pressure achieved (5, 19) have been measured, although the latter is strongly influenced by the characteristics of leaks into the cavity. Net gas flux into an open nonventilated cavity can be measured directly (18, 27) or indirectly (7). Because most studies of gas fluxes have utilized closed collapsible cavities, we use collapsible cavities to illustrate the principles involved.…”