Removal of a Surgical Bur Lodged in the Maxillary Sinus for 9 Years: Case Report

The maxillary sinuses are pyramidal-shaped pneumatic cavities located inside the maxillary bones. Due to their anatomical location, the maxillary sinuses are prone to accidental entry of foreign bodies. Cases arising from iatrogenic factors are mainly linked to dental causes, with the main artifacts found being: fractured tooth roots, implants, needles, root filling material and dental impression materials. Therefore, the aim of this study was to report a rare case of a patient who had had a surgical drill lodged in the maxillary sinus for 9 years. This is only the second study to report the presence of a drill inside the maxillary sinus, reinforcing the contribution of this study to the literature. A 47-year-old male patient with leukoderma came to the oral surgery department due to dental pain. During radiographic assessment, a foreign body was observed in the left maxillary sinus. The surgical technique adopted was Cadwel-Luc due to the location and size of the surgical drill. In conclusion, the displacement of surgical drills into the maxillary sinus is an extremely rare complication and the Cadwel-Luc approach proved to be an excellent treatment option.