[The effect of endonasal paranasal sinus surgery on lung function of patients with bronchial asthma]

Lung function tests of 13 patients suffering from manifest asthma and of 4 patients showing only bronchial hyperreactivity were performed before and on an average of 12 months after endonasal surgery of the paranasal sinuses. In the four subjects, bronchial hyperreactivity was no longer detectable postoperatively by provocation with carbachol. Five asthmatics could stop medication of 1 to 3 of their drugs, five others were able to reduce the dosage of one of their drugs to 50% or more. Lung function and medication was unchanged in two asthmatic patients, one patient had to add a drug to his medication while showing an unchanged lung function. In patients with asthma and chronic paranasal sinusitis, endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery (together with flanking measures, e.g. septal correction) is able to improve antiasthmatic therapy in a high percentage.