What is a mucous cyst? Mucous cysts are sacs in the inner surface of the skin. These are known as Mucoceles when they occur in sinus cavity. Mucoceles contain a clear fluid. Mucoceles are painless, stretchable and soft in nature. The fluid is sterile in nature and when the cyst busts, it releases the golden fluid. The mucoceles are chronic cystic lesions found in various paranasal sinuses. When mucin protein merges up with salvia, it forms a plaque that contains microorganisms. When the contents of the mucoceles are infected by microorganisms, this is known as mucopyocele. Mucous cysts in sinus are the result of blocked track of the ostium. It causes an accumulation of various secretions resulting into growing mass. This grown mass creates a possibility of remodeled and erosion bone. This may sometimes change the bone’s structure. Mucoceles are different and somewhat less common than chronic sinusitis with or without polyps.
Mucoceles versus mucus retention cysts: There should not be any confusion between mucoceles (mucous cysts) and mucous retention cysts. Mucous retention cysts are just cysts along the sinus inside layer. Mucous retention cysts are fluid filled sacs, but they do not enlarge and drive towards the eye socket, brain, and nose. They also don’t cause problems in the majority of cases and this is the reason why mucus retention cysts are very common in sinus areas. Around 30-40 percent population may have mucous retention cysts without any health issues.
Causes and risk factors associated with mucous cysts in sinus cavity: Mucoceles are the outcome of blockage of salivary gland excretory tube and accumulation of this mucous into the neighboring soft tissues. Mucoceles are also the result of some minor traumas around the excretory tube. These traumas may be unintentional trauma like biting. When the injury occurs, the damaged gland leads to an excessive secretion of thick mucus saliva. This saliva spills into the neighboring tissues instead of excreted out of body along with the rest of salvias’. This whole process results in formation of a clear bubble. If any further injury happens to this bubble, it may leads to bleeding within the accumulated saliva. It will make it like a red or purple colored pool. Mucoceles habitually expand slowly but surely. Their progression can boost more rapidly at the time of infections. The other causes of mucous cysts in sinus cavity are chronic infection, allergic sino-nasal disease, and any previous surgery.
Post-rhinoplasty sinus mucous cyst development is one of the preventable complications of surgery. It is very essential to maintain mucosal integrity throughout the procedure of intranasal osteotomy to prevent such post-rhinoplasty complications at mucous cysts.
Symptoms of mucous cysts in sinus cavity: Mucoceles are usually situated in the frontal, ethmoid and some times in the maxillary sinus cavities. The associated symptoms include massive discomfort, pain, impact on your breathing, nasal blockage and some time leads to bone decomposition. Some cases of blindness are also seen if the enlarged mucoceles develops in the ethmoid and/or frontal sinus cavities. The blockage of nasal channel occurs if the mucoceles present in the maxillary sinus cavity region and this may results in to sinusitis.
Treatment of mucous cyst in sinus cavity: Mucoceles are possibly treated with medicines, surgical methods, and diet and activity maintenance, along with consultations with physicians. Mucous cyst in sinus cavity can be treated with a combination of Clobetasol 0.05%, a high-potency topical steroid, and gamma-linolenic acid, a prostaglandin E precursor. This treatment is not a permanent solution and the mucoceles reappears within a few months of gamma-linolenic acid discontinuation. Surgical excision of the mucoceles along with the neighboring salivary glands is a recommended and usually permanent method of treatment. The rate of reoccurrence is almost negligible and this is widely used method to treat mucoceles.