Frontal sinus stents: a concise review of the literature

Abstract Background The frontal sinus is the most daunting paranasal sinus as its anatomical features and drainage system greatly affect the efficacy of medical and surgical management. Several stents were described to improve the postoperative outcome. This article discusses the different types of frontal sinus stents with emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of their use. Conclusion Frontal sinus surgery is a known challenge, not only during surgery, but also afterward. Frontal sinus stenting can improve the outcome in some difficult cases; however, routine placement is not advised. Modern technology has helped in development of steroid eluting stents which are described by many studies to have superior results. Nevertheless, recent studies questioned the benefits of using the relatively expensive drug eluting stents. Future studies will either support the usage of newly expensive innovations or revert to simpler traditional measures.