Acute sphenoid sinusitis

Acute sphenoidal sinusitis is uncommon. It is usually seen as part of a pansinusitis.

Discriminatory clinical features include:

• headache - which may be vertical, frontal, occipital or central, or may mimic mastoiditis
• nasal discharge - seen only by posterior rhinoscopy

Specific treatment:

• the sphenoiditis may clear with treatment of the other sinusitis
• severe cases warrant catheterisation of the ostium for aspiration and lavage, or sphenoid puncture if the ostium cannot be found