Hospitality & Infectious Disease Consultation
Dr. introduced himself as part of the infectious disease team and took time to walk through Chase’s situation in detail, using a cross-section image of the brain and sinuses to illustrate.
Understanding the Sinuses:
The sinuses are air-filled cavities in the face that connect to the nose. Under normal circumstances they remain empty, but when infected the condition is called sinusitis. We have multiple sinuses in our face, and the type of complication that can arise depends on which sinus is infected.
Chase’s Specific Situation:
Chase has several infected sinuses, but the most significant is the frontal sinus — the one located in the forehead area. This is called frontal sinusitis. In most cases sinusitis is treated with antibiotics and resolves without incident. However in Chase’s case the infection has pushed outward causing significant swelling in the frontal area.
The MRI and Brain Involvement:
The MRI was limited in its clarity due to Chase’s braces, but within those limitations the Dr. did not see evidence of the infection spreading toward the brain — which is always the primary concern in cases like this. He explained that the infection can theoretically spread in two directions — outward toward the face, or inward toward the brain — and the space between is very small. He is cautiously reassured but continues to monitor closely.
How’s Chase? 