Developmental anomaly – A duplicate fronto-ethmoidal sinus complex

Abstract

Background: Fronto-ethmoidal sinus tumors can be benign or malignant. Case presentation: This case reports a patient with a long-standing frontal sinus lesion who presented with seizures. Imaging findings suggested malignancy. The patient underwent craniofacial resection – intraoperative findings revealed a lesion centered in the anterior ethmoid sinuses with extension into the frontal sinus, characterized by multiple bony septations. Histology was negative for malignancy. These findings were similar to that of ethmoid sinus morphology, which are of endochondral bony origin. As the lesion has been long-standing, this was postulated to be a duplicate ethmoid sinus. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of a possible duplication of the ipsilateral ethmoid sinus. This aids clinicians in diagnosing patients who present similarly, avoiding extensive surgical procedures with significant morbidity risk. Keywords: Paranasal sinus, Ethmoid sinus, Development anomaly, Tumor