Abstract
Since April 1990 we have used endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in the treatment of the chronic sinusitis in 54 patients aged 9 to 70 years. Follow-up information was sought by questionnaires mailed to all 54 patients. Thirty patients replied, and the charts of 14 others were reviwed. Ten patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 44 patients, 36 (82%) had resolution of their symptom, and 8 patients (18%) were unchanged. Of the unchanged patients 5 were young and 3 had previously undergone Caldwell-Luc surgery. The only operative complication was a lamina papyracea perforation in 1 patient, whose postoperative course, however, was uneventful. CT scan played an important role in demonstrating the state and extension of sinusitis and the paranasal anatomy. In most of the patients, the infection was in the anterior ethmoid sinuses. These results confirmed the concept of anterior ethmoid-middle meatus complex. We conclude that endoscopic sinus surgery is effective in the treatment of chronic sinusitis.
