3 techniques used for maxillary sinus drainage

Inferior Meatal Technique In the end of the nineteenth century, Miculicz pioneered the technique, which is still popular. The technique involves puncturing the inferior meatus to enter the maxillary sinus. Mild pressure is applied on the sinus while accessing it. Then, a syringe is used to collect the aspirate from the sinus. The aspirates are used for cultures. The sinus is irrigated with warm saline to finish the procedure. Since the technique targets lower part of the sinus, chances of puncturing the soft tissues are minimum. However, it may be difficult to penetrate the thick bony wall.Natural Ostium 


Technique During the process, the surgeon inserts a cannula with syringe into the middle meatus occupying the posterior infundibulum to access the maxillary sinus’s natural ostium. After collecting cultures, the sinus is washed with warm saline. No bone is penetrated during the procedure, so chances of osteomyelitis are non-existent. However, finding natural ostium is difficult and mechanical trauma due to this procedure may cause stenosis in the natural ostium region. Proximity of the natural ostium access point to the orbit furthers the risk. Chances of bleeding from the vascular and slim nasal mucosa are also high.