Endoscopic endonasal retrieval of air gun pellet retained in the frontal sinus: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Foreign bodies in paranasal sinuses are rarely encountered and most commonly present in the maxillary sinus. Guidelines for managing paranasal sinus object removal are limited due to its rarity. However, there are three major management options: open surgery, endoscopic sinus surgery, and observation. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a rare case of an 18-year-old boy who underwent extended frontal sinus surgery to retrieve a retained air gun pellet in the right frontal sinus and repair the skull base defect resulting from the air gun pellet. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Physicians commonly use endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for improving sinus drainage in recurrent chronic and acute infective sinusitis. Extended sinus surgery aims to maximize the communication between the paranasal sinuses and the nasal cavity. This extended communication helps improve access to the sinus, enhance drainage, and improve the delivery of topical medications. In addition, the use of ESS with the modified Lothrop procedure allows for better exposure of the skull base, which can help with the repair of a CSF leak. CONCLUSION: Based on our experience with this patient and similar literature, ESS should be considered a treatment option for patients with retained foreign objects in the frontal sinus.