Supra Maxillary Cell (SMC): An Anatomical variant of Ethmoid Sinus

• Published in: Indian journal of otolaryngology, and head, and neck surgery and head, and neck surgery, 2022-10, Vol.74 (Suppl 2), p.870-874
• Main Authors: Ahilasamy, Nagalingeswaran, Narendrakumar, Veerasigamani, Rajendran, Dinesh Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical Report; Endoscopy; Head and Neck Surgery; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Otolaryngology; Otorhinolaryngology; Sinuses
• ISSN: 2231-3796; 0973-7707
• DOI: 10.1007/s12070-020-01947-1

65 year old female presented with complaints of Right sided nasal obstruction of 1 year duration, intermittent nasal discharge for the past 6 months, without much significant improvement in medical management. Computerized tomography of paranasal sinuses revealed presence of supra maxillary cell (SMC) which was infected, along with sphenoid sinus (Heterodense lesion—suggestive of probable Fungal sinusitis). Patient underwent Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery with Septoplasty under local anesthesia. Among the paranasal sinuses, the ethmoid sinus has the largest number of anatomical variations. Important structures near the ethmoid sinus are usually in danger during the endoscopic sinus surgery due to its extreme anatomical variations. Posterior ethmoid cells can also expand towards and into the Maxillary sinus, which drains into the superior nasal meatus, referred to as the Ethmo maxillary sinus. This clinical report highlights about similar  anatomical variation in the paranasal sinuses. We report a case of similar type of cell, only difference is it drains into middle meatus, situated mostly over the maxillary sinus alone along its entire width and the senior author has coined a term for it as supra maxillary cell (SMC).