Rhinosinusitis

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most common health care complaints in this country. The burden on affected individuals in terms of decreased productivity, absenteeism from the workplace, and diminished quality of life, when added to the cost of care and the growing public health menace of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, makes rhinosinusitis a serious disease that warrants precise diagnosis and effective therapy. Technologic innovations in endoscopy and imaging have improved understanding of sinus pathophysiology, but diagnosis remains clinical and treatment empiric. Chronic rhinosinusitis is a complex, multifactorial disorder-not simply an infectious disease. Modern,surgical principles that focus on obstructive pathology in the ostiomeatal complex region are efficacious but rarely curative. Developments in the fields of immunology, molecular biology, and genetics will lead to more effective treatment options.