Surgical treatments of adult chronic sinusitis--a study by questionnaire from 434 hospitals in Japan]

Information concerning surgical treatment of adult patients with chronic sinusitis was obtained through questionnaires from 434 hospitals in Japan. The hospitals were authorized for an in-service otorhinolaryngological training institute by the Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan. The questionnaires were sent to the hospitals in December, 1989, and answers were obtained from 370 hospitals within 2 months, an 85.3% response rate. The following results were obtained. In 96.2% of the hospitals, permaxillary sinus surgery was performed on patients whose maxillary and ethmoid lesions were severe. With moderate lesions of both the maxillary and ethmoid sinuses, permaxillary sinus surgery and endonasal sinus surgery were performed in 76.0% and 24.9%, respectively. Application of an endoscope for sinus surgery was reported by 89 hospitals. In January, 1990, a further survey was sent to the 89 hospitals where endoscopic sinus surgery was performed. Questionnaire responses were obtained from 75 hospitals. Rigid endoscope was used most frequently and operative microscope was also used. Endoscopy was applied to all of the sinus surgery procedures in 21.6%, and to a portion of the procedures in 74.3% of the hospitals. About 50% of the hospitals performed endoscopic surgery in fewer than 30% of sinus surgery cases. When questioned as whether endoscopic surgery had been successful, 42.6% said yes, 10.7% said no, and 42.6% were unsure.