Aim: The aim of this study was to compare postoperative complications and donor site morbidity following frontal sinus obliteration with autogenous abdominal fat compared to autogenous bone harvested from anterior iliac crest.
Research question: Will frontal sinus obliteration with autogenous abdominal fat result in less sinus and donor site complications compared to sinus obliteration with autogenous bone harvested from anterior iliac crest?
Materials and Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted on 10 patients with frontal sinus anterior wall fracture indicating frontal sinus obliteration. In group I, the sinuses were obliterated with autogenous abdominal fat. While in group II, the sinuses were obliterated with autogenous bone harvested from anterior iliac crest. Sinus postoperative assessment was performed clinically and radiologically to evaluate postoperative complications (local sinus pathology including sinusitis, mucocele, pyomucocele, wound infection, wound dehiscence, esthetic deformity). Donor site morbidity was assessed for the presence of any complication, postoperative pain intensity and duration.
Results: Both groups showed no postoperative sinus complications. Group II showed donor site higher pain intensity and longer pain duration with statistically significant difference when compared to group I..
Conclusions: Abdominal autogenous fat seemed to be a better frontal sinus obliteration material compared to autogenous bone harvested from iliac crest, thanks to its lower donor site morbidity. However, we recommend further investigations with longer follow up periods to elucidate more about this topic.