ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Performing ESS, in order to gain a better understanding ofthe topographical anatomy of the paranasal sinus, paticularly the lateral lamella of cribriform plate (LLCP), is of paramount importance for avoiding inadvertent injury of intracranial compartment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bony defects and radiologic characteristics in the LLCP detectable using coronal CT scan. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The coronal CT scans of 205 subjects with ages ranging from 8 to 65 years were retrospectively reviewed. The overall incidence of bony defects particularly in terms of subjects' age and depth of cribriform plate were analyzed. RESULTS: The bony defects of lateral lamella were found in 72% of the subjects studied, among them 35% had unilateral type, whereas 65% had bilateral types. The incidence of bony defects significantly increased as increasing depth of the cribriform plate. CONCLUSION: The high incidence of radiologically detectable bony defects in LLCP, as indicated in the study, may emphasize the importance of full attention by endoscopic surgeons operating on this critical area.