Fundamental considerations of the design and function of intranasal antrostomies.

The operation of intranasal antrostomy was first described by Gooch in 1770 and has been performed since then with varying degrees of popularity. Little is known of the natural history of the antrostomy, particularly about its tendency to close. To elucidate this, researches have been conducted, aimed at establishing a number of measurable factors associated with closure. A clinical study has been conducted which includes a prospective assessment of intranasal antrostomies performed on 55 patients. The size of the antrostomy is assessed per-operatively and at regular intervals post-operatively using direct measurement and serial photography via a modified Hopkins rod. A retrospective study has also been performed on all patients who underwent intranasal antrostomy between 1979-1982, using similar techniques. The results of a statistical analysis of intranasal antrostomies performed since 1950 are also presented as are the results of a survey of the techniques used by surgeons when performing this procedure. The work presented in this paper offers the answers to a number of questions which have been posed about this simple and popular operation.