The treatment of endoscopic sinusitis after radiotherapy in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE To investigate thetherapeutic methods for sinusitis after radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with endoscopic sinusitis surgery. METHODS The therapeutic data and follow- up results of 29 cases of sinusitis patients treated with endoscopic sinusitis surgery after radiotherapy from January 2000 to December 2003 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS The patients were followed- up from 6 to 36 months. Twelve were completely rehabilitated and 17 were improved. No incident of massive haemorrhage during operation was recorded. The most frequently documented post- operative complication was the adhesion of nasal cavity. CONCLUSION Endoscopic sinusitis surgery performed on the sinusitis patients after radiotherapy is therapeutically effective and helpful in improving the patients’ quality of life.