Bacterial Flora of Normal Maxillary Sinuses in Adults

Objective(1)To determine the bacterial flora and (2) to quantify the level of bacterial presence in healthy maxillary sinus cavities.MethodsSubjects included 25 consecutive patients undergoing Lefort I osteotomy for orthognathic surgery under general anesthesia between January 2007 and February 2008. All patients were preoperatively evaluated by a questionnaire and a complete physical examination including sinus endoscopy. Our exclusion criteria were: presence of sinonasal symptoms, asthma, antibiotic treatment in the past 3 months, treatment with local steroids, previous sinonasal surgery, traumatic surgery, and an abnormal sinus endoscopy. Washes were obtained from maxillary sinuses before surgery through an antral puncture. The sinus was irrigated with 1cc of sterile saline followed by aspiration with a syringe attached to the trocar. Basic sterility rules were rigorously applied. Specimens were transported to the laboratory in a sealed, airfree syringe. Time between collection of materials and inocula...