Evaluation of the Anterior Ethmoidal Artery Course in Pediatric Patients

Introduction:The anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) is an important structure to be considered in endoscopic endonasal surgery, which can lead to serious complications due to injury.We aimed to reveal AEA's course and age-dependent variations and the relationship with closely related structures in pediatric cases.Methods: The paranasal sinus computed tomography of patients under 18 years was retrospectively reviewed.The coronal reformated plane, which is perpendicular to the hard palate, was used for measurements.The AEA was assessed for its course at or below the skull base, and the distance was measured.In addition, the depth of the olfactory fossa (DOF) and nasal septal deviation (NSD) were measured.Results: A total of 156 patients were enrolled in this study.As the DOF increases, the AEA skull base distance also increases (p<0.005).In addition, both DOF (p=0.014) and AEA skull base distance (p=0.004)increase with age.The age of the patients with NSD was higher than that of the patients without deviation (p=0.035).Although not statistically significant, a slight increase in both AEA skull base distance and DOF was noted on the NSD side (p>0.05). Conclusion:These results show that the olfactory roof anatomy and NSD are not only related to the embryonic period but also an ongoing process after birth.