Investigation of anatomical variations important for functional endoscopic sinus surgery on computed tomography images

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is a frequently used surgical method. Preoperative radiological imaging is important to prevent complications that may occur after surgery. In radiological imaging, knowing the normal anatomy and anatomical variations of the sinus paranasales and cavitas nasi guides the surgeon in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate anatomical variations that are important for functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Our study was conducted retrospectively on computerized tomography images obtained from the Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine Hospital PACS system of a total of 200 patients, 99 women and 101 men, aged between 18-79. In our study, presence of septum deviation, quantity of septum deviation (coronal), quantity of septum deviation (axial), septum deviation angle, nasal septum pneumatization, cribriform plate depth, Keros typing, asymmetric Keros, Haller cell, lamina papyracea according to maxillary hiatus relationship, Onodi cell, optic nerve dehissence, optic nerve protrusion, anterior clinoid process pneumatization, sphenoidal sinus type, internal carotid artery protrusion, supraorbital pneumatization, presence of concha bullosa, concha bullosa type, uncinate bulla, paradoxical middle nasal concha, agger nasi, inferior nasal concha hypertrophy, pterygoid process pneumatization, vidian nerve protrusion, maxillary nerve protrusion was examined. When compared according to gender, a statistically significant difference was found in the quantity of septum deviation (coronal) (p=0.024) and the quantity of septum deviation (axial) (p=0.012). The examined variations and measurement parameters were compared according to decades and gender. When the examined variations were compared according to gender, a statistically significant difference was found in the quantity of septum deviation (coronal) (p=0.024) and the quantity of septum deviation (axial) (p=0.012). There was no statistically significant difference in other variations (p>0.05). We think that the data we obtained in our study will contribute to a better understanding of the anatomical variations seen in the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, and will contribute to radiologists in preoperative radiological imaging and to surgeons in planning the surgical procedure.