title: Endoscopic stenting of nasofrontal communication in frontal sinus disease.
abstract: The volume of literature on frontal sinus surgery suggests that the success of surgery to cure frontal sinus pathology is inversely proportional to the total number of techniques described. In an attempt to develop an effective means of treating acute and chronic frontal sinusitis, including iatrogenic naso frontal communication obstruction, an endoscopic stenting procedure has evolved. This method might be contemplated, in selected patients, as the preferred surgery or a useful low morbidity alternative, to more invasive traditional frontal sinus surgery. A high degree of technical difficulty is associated with endoscopic frontal sinus procedures, and they are definitely not recommended for the novice or occasional sinus surgeon. Several years of follow up are required to evaluate the validity of any frontal sinus procedure. More observation of these subjects' clinical progress is necessary before endoscopic stenting of the nasofrontal communication passes the test of time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Otolaryngology, Des Moines General Hospital, Iowa.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hoyt
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015607:Stents