[Management of chronic sinusitis in children]

The managements and the results of therapy for children with chronic sinusitis were reported. During the period of 1980 to 1988, 190 patients, aged 3 to 15, were examined at our outpatient clinic. The pathologic conditions of the maxillary sinus were examined by the contrast x-ray study (X-MFT). The mild, moderate and severe lesions in the maxillary sinus evaluated by X-MFT were 22%, 44; and 34%, respectively. Sixty-two per cent of ethmoid sinus was opacified in occipito-frontal view. The degree of patency of the maxillary ostium was evaluated by an application of the constant pressure to the maxillary sinus. Almost all maxillary ostia of these patients were patent. Nasal mucociliary clearance was reduced in 37% of the patients examined after the saccharin method. Antral lavages were performed once in a week for the therapy of 72% of children with chronic sinusitis. The efficacy of this modality was evaluated by the above mentioned items. The maxillary and ethmoid lesions, and nasal mucociliary transit time were significantly improved by the modality after 25 months in average. These results indicate that the antral lavage is an useful therapy for chronic sinusitis in children.