Nazan Koçak Topbaş, Esin Alpöz, Hayal Boyacıoğlu
Archives of Basic and Clinical Research - 2026;8(1):80-89
Objective: To determine the frequency of anatomic variations, pathologies, and physiological alterations in the maxillary sinus, and to identify the most common combinations in which these risk factors coexist and may predispose to perforation of the maxillary sinus membrane. The relationship between the most common potential risk factor and patients' age, gender, and dental status was also evaluated. Methods: Radiographic examinations of the anatomic variations, pathologies, and physiological alterations in 500 maxillary sinuses from 376 patients were classified under 16 headings using cone beam computed tomography images, and their coexistence was evaluated. For each evaluated sinus, every pathology, physiological alteration, and anatomic variation observed was recorded. A Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to assess the effect of age, sex, and dental status on the most common potential risk factor. Results: The average mucosal thickening was 3.64 mm. Pathological mucosal thickenning was the most common pathology in the maxillary sinus (67.2%). The rates of mucosal thickening, septa-mucosal thickening, interruption of the medial sinus wall, and pneumatization-septa-mucosal thickening were 30.8%, 29.2%, 7.6%, 6.2%, respectively. Pathological mucosal thickenning was the most common in partially edentulous, males, aged 36-53 years ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: The most common anatomic variations, physiological alterations, and pathologies in the maxillary sinus were pathological mucosal thickening, septa, interruption of the medial sinus wall, and pneumatization. The most coexisting combinations were mucosal thickening-septa and pneumatization-septa-mucosal thickening. In addition to these combinations, partially edentulous patients of 36-53 age group may be considered as sinus membrane perforation risk.
