Chronic rhinosinusitis: an education and treatment model

Research into chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has rapidly expanded over the last decade, resulting in a plethora of proposed etiologic and disease-modifying factors. Potentially, advancement of knowledge in this field has developed more than any other disease in otolaryngologic science. However, the teaching and education of this complex and still evolving process has lagged behind. Trainees, students, and residents may find the heterogeneous group of pathophysiologic mechanisms difficult to learn and apply to treatment decision making. Identification of the propagating factor and subsequent microbial, inflammatory, or mucociliary disease-modifying effects for a specific patient allows individual tailoring of treatment to address these factors. This facilitates a logical strategic process, rather than using one broad, ill-defined approach for each and every CRS patient. A model of CRS is presented as a teaching aid for residents and those learning about the etiology and directed treatment of this complex problem.