[Anterior sinusitis: indications for and results of endoscopic surgery]

With the exclusion of posterior or diffuse disease, anterior sinusitis is an inflammatory process affecting one or more cells draining through the middle meatus. When medical treatment fails, functional endoscopic surgery is indicated. Two hundred and three surgical cases are reviewed. Anterior sinusitis forms 44% of the surgical indications. Twenty months later, 80% obtain good or very good subjective and objective results. In 20% the quality is poor with suppuration. When suppuration persists, further endoscopic or radical surgery is indicated. In this series, complication rate is low. Endoscopic surgery advantages are discussed.