Upper airway obstruction in rhinitis and rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most common diseases of the upper airways. It affects more than 10 % of adults and 70 % of children. Rhinosinusitis is a frequent cause of work incapacitation. The main symptoms include nasal congestion, and persistent or recurrent nasal secretion. It may commonly cause deterioration of the olfactory sense and pain in the facial area. The duration of acute rhinosinusitis is up to 12 weeks. The disease may be protracted and may become chronic despite therapy. In childhood, acute and chronic rhinosinusitis are associated with a persistent or recurrent cough and hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal adenoid vegetations. The diagnosis of rhinosinusitis is based on endoscopic evaluation of the nasal cavity. The therapy of acute and uncomplicated rhinosinusitis is predominantly conservative, using targeted antibiotic therapy, topical corticosteroids, decongestive and saline irrigation. Puncture and aspiration of the paranasal sinuses is not currently indicated. The therapy of chronic rhinosinusitis and rhinosinusitis complicated by nasal polyposis may involve both conservative therapy and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. The disease results in a decreased quality of life of affected patients, both children and adults.

Keywords

• rhinitis
• acute rhinosinusitis
• chronic rhinosinusitis
• nasal obstruction
• nasal polyposis
• adenoid vegetation