Quantitative evaluation of facial growth in children after unilateral ESS for subperiosteal orbital abscess drainage

ObjectiveTo determine the effects of unilateral endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on facial skeletal growth in children.DesignRetrospective controlled study.SettingAcademic tertiary referral medical center.Materials and methodsIncluded were children who underwent a unilateral ESS procedure between 1995 and 2006 to evacuate a subperiosteal orbital abscess (SPOA) and several years later went through cephalometric measurements comparing their facial development between the surgical and nonsurgical sides.ResultsA total of 6 children were recruited for this study (3 girls and 3 boys), between the ages 3 to 10 at time of surgery, and from 9.5 to 23 years of age today. Four of the children had surgery on the right side and 2 on the left. No statistically significant difference was found when evaluating all planes in the cephalometric radiographs according to age at surgery, age today and years from surgery.ConclusionIn our study, no significant differences were found in craniofacial growth between the sides of the face in children who underwent ESS for the same medical indication on one side of the face, suggesting that ESS might be safely performed even in young children.Level of evidence–2c