Osteoma of the Sinuses, the Frontal and the Sphenoid Bone: Report of Fifteen Cases

Abstract

The literature on osteoma of the sinuses consists predominantly of reports of single cases or enumerations of cases reported previously, so that one might suppose the condition to be rare. Although the total number of cases reported up to 1935 was variously given as 1451 and 1472 and may not now exceed 200, since relatively few cases have been reported each year since then, it seems probable that this condition is far more common than is generally supposed and that many osteomas are not reported. The cases in the medical literature have been, as a rule, those in which the growth was extensive, with definite symptoms and with invasion of neighboring structures, in which diagnosis was not difficult and in which the need for treatment was urgent.In support of the thesis that osteoma, although unusual, is not rare, 15 cases in which that diagnosis was made in the past eight years are reported briefly, with illustrations. These 15 cases were noted in a review of 3,510 roentgenograms of the sinuses, of which they comprise 0.43 per cent. Knapp3 noted 8 cases in 56,000 records, or only 0.014 per cent of the total, indicating that in many the condition must not have been diagnosed. In the series of osteomas reported here roentgenograms were entirely responsible for the diagnosis of all except 2.Twelve were in the accessory sinuses and 3 were not.Results of treatment have improved considerably, for in a series of earlier cases the operative mortality was as high as 45 per cent.4 Surgical intervention has been recommended5 as the proper treatment for all osteomas. When one considers that nearly all osteomas which were extensive or had serious complications have probably been recorded and 1. Carmody, T. E.:

Treatment of osteomas located between the anterior cranial base and the face

“…It has been documented that injuries suffered during the developmental period may be one of the factors triggering their appearance (Childrey, 1939;Rawlings, 1940). In this series presented, such a relationship could be not confirmed.…”

Craniofacial Osteoma: Clinical Presentation and Patterns of Growth

“…In this study, we present 149 cases of osteomas addressing specific variables. The previously reported incidence of osteomas is 0.01–0.23% 16 ; however, more recent literature report an incidence of 0.4–1%. 17 This difference may be caused by the increase in incidental diagnosis as a result of the wide availability and use of advanced imaging techniques.…”

Rare giant frontal sinus osteoma mimicking fibrous dysplasia

“…5,6 Classically, osteomas occur within the craniomaxillofacial skeleton, skull and paranasal sinuses. The overall incidence of osteoma is 0.14-0.43 per cent and of osteoma of the skull 0.4 per cent.…”

“…Osteomas comprise dense focal sclerosis within bone and display unlimited growth potential. The overall incidence of osteoma is 0.14–0.43 per cent and of osteoma of the skull 0.4 per cent 5 , 6 . Classically, osteomas occur within the craniomaxillofacial skeleton, skull and paranasal sinuses 7 .…”