METHOD: Prevalence of the anterior ethmoid genu, its morphology and its relationship with the frontal sinus drainage pathway was assessed. Computed tomography scans with multiplanar reconstruction were used to study non-diseased sinonasal complexes.

RESULTS: The anterior ethmoidal genu was present in all 102 anatomical sides studied, independent of age, gender and race. Its position was within the frontal sinus drainage pathway, and the drainage pathway was medial to it in 98 of 102 cases. The anterior ethmoidal genu sometimes extended laterally and formed a recess bounded by the lamina papyracea laterally, by the uncinate process anteriorly and by the bulla ethmoidalis posteriorly. Distance of the anterior ethmoidal genu to frontal ostia can be determined by the height of the posterior wall of the agger nasi cell rather than its volume or other dimensions.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clinically assess the status of the neo-tympanic membrane and the exteriorised attic following canal wall down mastoidectomy.

METHODS: All post canal wall down mastoidectomy patients were recruited and otoendoscopy was performed to assess the neo-tympanic membrane. A clinical classification of the overall status of middle-ear aeration following canal wall down mastoidectomy was formulated.

RESULTS: Twenty-five ears were included in the study. Ninety-two per cent of cases showed some degree of neo-tympanic membrane retraction, ranging from mild to very severe.