Potts puffy tumor : rare complication of frontal sinusitis

Abstract EN

Objective : Potts Puffy Tumor (PPT) is uncommon serious complication of rontal sinusitis.

Our aim is to study the current status of the incidence of this complication in Mosul city in North of Iraq, evaluate the benefit of early diagnosis by high index of suspicion and computed tomography with or without contrast and the effectiveness of simple non-invasive surgical procedure in management of patients with (PPT) and protect from serious sequelae and necessity to invasive surgical intervention.

Methods : In this study, we reviewed the management of 42 patients with Potts Puffy Tumor in Mosul general teaching hospital and Al-Rahma Hospital (Mosul-Iraq), over a period of 17 years (January 1989 to December 2006).

Results : Twenty thousand patients were reported to have sinusitis in out patients consultant clinic in these hospital during this period, only 2000 patients were admitted to hospital with complication of sinusitis only 42 from these patients diagnosed as Potts ,(10%) Puffy Tumor (2.1%)Conclusions : The prevalence rate of Potts Puffy Tumor in our locality is more than observed in developed countries.

There is a definite need for early diagnosis and management in order to save patients and prevent serious sequelae.