Abstract
Nebulizer therapy for chronic sinusitis was accepted as an official therapy covered by the social insurance system in 1951. Since then, this therapy has become the treatment of choice for many otolaryngologists. However, several difficulties associated with nebulizer therapy have been encountered. For example, until coverage for the use of cefmenoxime hydrochloride began in 1996, no antibiotic drugs for nebulizer use were available. Presently, cefmenoxime hydrochloride is the only drug covered by social insurance for nebulizer use. The second difficulty is related to the clinical effectiveness of nebulizer therapy. Every paranasal sinus has its own drainage system between the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses. In chronic sinusitis, this drainage system is usually narrowed. Therefore, the effectiveness of nebulizer therapy could be increased by enlarging these drainage systems. We would like to stress that nebulizer therapy in combination with the enlargement of the drainage system between the nasalcavity and the paranasal sinuses is a potentially useful otorhinolaryngologic treatment.
