Ethmoid sinus surgery

The literature on ethmoiditis was reviewed emphasizing the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the disease. The records of 47 patients with chronic inflammatory nasoethmoid disease, treated by polypectomy and intranasal ethmoidectomy, were reviewed to determine the effectiveness of the operative procedure. There has been follow‐up of two years or more on 26 patients. The records were analyzed with attention to etiologic factors, diagnostic criteria, surgical procedure and results. We have found that the preoperative sinus roentgenograms frequently do not reveal the extent and severity of the disease noted at the time of surgery. Our review supports the intranasal ethmoidectomy as an effective procedure for chronic nasoethmoid inflammatory disease, especially with recent emphasis on total resection of the middle turbinate.