Abstract

objectives: is to study the relation between antrochoanal polyp formation and associated anatomical and pathological variants.

Patients and methods: Our study included 80 patients divided equally into two groups (40 patients in each): patients with antrochoanal polyp group and control group including patients with unilateral maxillary sinusitis. Both groups were compared regarding pathological variants including the presence of retention cyst in contralateral maxillary sinus and the mucosal thickening and sclerosis in maxillary antrum. The comparison between both groups included anatomical variants as: deviated nasal septum, concha bullosa, paradoxical middle turbinate and uncinate process insertion.

Results: the presence of retention cyst in the contralateral maxillary sinus was significantly higher in antrochoanal polyp group than the control group. Also the nasal septum deviation to opposite side was more in antrochoanal polyp group than control group. That was statistically significant.

Conclusion: the origin of antrochoanal polyp is retention cyst that extends to nasal cavity due to pressure changes in the maxillary antrum. Changes in the air flow in the nasal cavity caused by deviated nasal septum in the side opposite to the deviation may be an important factor that caused antrochoanal polyp formation.



Keywords: Antrochoanal polyp, retention cyst, paranasal sinus, computed tomography.