PMID- 27324069 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20171108 LR - 20181113 IS - 2042-6984 (Electronic) IS - 2042-6976 (Print) IS - 2042-6976 (Linking) VI - 6 IP - 12 DP - 2016 Dec TI - Radiographic characterization of the retroantral ethmoid cell. PG - 1315-1318 LID - 10.1002/alr.21817 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND: The retroantral ethmoid cell (RAEC) is defined as a posterior ethmoid cell that pneumatizes inferolaterally behind the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus. The RAEC can present a challenge to otolaryngologists during endoscopic ethmoidectomy due to its concealed location. It is also encountered during the endoscopic transpterygoid approach to the skull base, which requires dissection behind the posterior wall of the maxillary sinus. Because the RAEC is not described in the literature, this study aims to better characterize this anatomic variant. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 58 consecutive patients who underwent revision functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) within a 2-year period at a tertiary referral center. Sinus computed tomography (CT) scans for this cohort (116 sides total) were reviewed independently by 3 authors to determine the incidence of the RAEC and the degree of surgical dissection during prior surgery. RESULTS: Of the 116 sides included in the study, RAEC was identified in 19 (16%). Furthermore, 14 of 19 (74%) cells were diseased with evidence mucosal thickening or neo-osteogenesis. Of the 12 sides with RAEC that had evidence of previous posterior ethmoidectomy, 4 (33%) cells were not opened, 6 (50%) were partially opened, and only 2 (17%) were completely opened. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the relatively high prevalence of the RAEC in our patient population. The majority of RAECs showed both evidence of disease and that they were not completely opened during previous surgery. Recognition of this anatomic entity may allow for more thorough ethmoidectomy. CI - (c) 2016 ARS-AAOA, LLC. FAU - Chapurin, Nikita AU - Chapurin N AD - Division of Head and Neck Surgery &, Communication Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. FAU - Honeybrook, Adam AU - Honeybrook A AD - Division of Head and Neck Surgery &, Communication Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. FAU - Johnson, Sean AU - Johnson S AD - Division of Head and Neck Surgery &, Communication Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. FAU - Wang, Cynthia AU - Wang C AD - Division of Head and Neck Surgery &, Communication Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. FAU - Jang, David W AU - Jang DW AD - Division of Head and Neck Surgery &, Communication Sciences, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. LA - eng GR - TL1 TR001116/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural DEP - 20160621 PL - United States TA - Int Forum Allergy Rhinol JT - International forum of allergy & rhinology JID - 101550261 SB - IM MH - Adolescent MH - Adult MH - Aged MH - Endoscopy MH - Ethmoid Sinus/*anatomy & histology/*diagnostic imaging/surgery MH - Female MH - Humans MH - Male MH - Middle Aged MH - Tomography, X-Ray Computed MH - Young Adult PMC - PMC5140720 MID - NIHMS792533 OTO - NOTNLM OT - CT imaging OT - FESS OT - anatomic variant OT - endoscopic sinus surgery OT - ethmoid cell OT - ethmoidectomy OT - revision surgery COIS- The authors have no conflicts of interests, financial or otherwise to disclose. EDAT- 2016/06/22 06:00 MHDA- 2017/11/09 06:00 PMCR- 2017/12/01 CRDT- 2016/06/22 06:00 PHST- 2016/02/02 00:00 [received] PHST- 2016/05/20 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2016/05/30 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2016/06/22 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2017/11/09 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2016/06/22 06:00 [entrez] PHST- 2017/12/01 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - 10.1002/alr.21817 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2016 Dec;6(12):1315-1318. doi: 10.1002/alr.21817. Epub 2016 Jun 21.