Sphenoidotomy: Transethmoid Approach
Indications:
- Removal of disease from ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses
Highlights:
- Take down uncinate process and ethmoid bulla, enter through basal lamella, and open posterior ethmoid cells
- Identify superior meatus and superior turbinate
- Enter sphenoid os between superior turbinate and septum
Keep in Mind/Things to Remember:
- Top of maxillary sinus and natural sphenoid os are usually in the same horizontal plane
- Open sphenoid os in inferior and medial direction
- Optic canal (above) and carotid canal (below) can be visualized in the lateral wall of the sphenoid sinus