Endoscopic drainage of pediatric paranasal sinus mucoceles

Paranasal sinus mucoceles are rare in children. The traditional treatment is to perform surgical drainage via an external incision. In adults endonasal surgical techniques are increasingly being used to treat mucoceles. A series of seven children is reported. All cases were successfully treated with endoscopic intranasal surgical drainage without complication or recurrence. When used by surgeons familiar with endoscopic sinus surgery this has proved a safe and successful procedure that avoids facial scarring. Despite previous reports suggesting cystic fibrosis is the major aetiological factor in pediatric mucoceles, no child in this series had been diagnosed as suffering from cystic fibrosis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.