A frontal swelling with a cautionary tale.

ABSTRACT

Frontal sinus mucoceles are the most common paranasal mucoceles. They consist of sterile mucus and shed cells and form due to inflammatory changes or chronic nasofrontal duct obstruction. Coincident infection and expansile growth can lead to specific clinical features dependent upon the location of the lesion and the degree of spread. We present a case of a 56-year-old lady with a radiological diagnosis of a frontal sinus mucocele causing anterior dehiscence of her frontal cortex. She underwent incision and drainage of a frontal swelling misdiagnosed as an infected sebaceous cyst. The case emphasises the importance of correlating features in the patient history and previous investigations with presenting findings.