Regarding the development of the paranasal sinuses, which sinuses show definite pneumatization at birth?
- A Maxillary and ethmoid ✓
- B Maxillary and frontal
- C Ethmoid and sphenoid
- D Sphenoid and frontal
Correct answer: A. Maxillary and ethmoid
Explanation
The maxillary and ethmoid sinuses are rudimentary but pneumatised at birth, which is why ethmoiditis can occur in neonates and young infants. The sphenoid begins pneumatization around two to three years, and the frontal sinus appears around four to five years and may not complete development until late adolescence. This developmental sequence explains why frontal sinusitis and its intracranial complications are essentially diseases of older children and adults, while ethmoiditis with orbital complications peaks in early childhood.
Reference: Gray's Anatomy, 42nd ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.