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Background: Mucocoeles of the paranasal sinus often enlarge slowly, resulting in local bone erosion with subsequent extension into the adjacent orbit or intracranial space.
Methods: Between 1988 and 2006, 31 patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for paranasal sinus mucoceles. The presenting signs and symptoms, radiological findings, surgical management, and need for revision surgery were reviewed.
Results: There were 31 cases, 22 males and 9 females with an age range of 10 to 80 years. Patients complained of: epiphora (8 cases), proptosis (7 cases), visual loss (7 cases), and local pain and tenderness (17 cases). The location of mucocele included: sphenoethmoid (1 case), maxilla (8 cases), sphenoid (6 cases), ethmoid (3 cases), frontal (7 cases), frontoethmoid (4 cases), and ethmoid and maxilla (2 cases).
Conclusion: The most common causes of mucoceles are chronic infection, allergic sinonasal disease trauma, and previous surgery. Endoscopic sinus surgery is an effective treatment for paranasal sinus mucoceles with a favorable long-term outcome.