title: Bacterial biofilms: do they play a role in chronic sinusitis?
abstract: Although medical and surgical strategies for chronic sinusitis have been greatly refined during the last 2 decades, many patients continue to suffer. Bacterial biofilms are three-dimensional aggregates of bacteria that recently have been shown to play a major role in many chronic infections. There is growing evidence that bacterial biofilms may play a role in some forms of recalcitrant chronic sinusitis that persists despite surgically opened sinus cavities and what seems to be appropriate, culture-directed antibiotic therapy. New directions in therapy aimed at biofilms may provide some success in treatment for patients with chronic sinusitis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rhinology, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 5 Ravdin Building, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. james.palmer@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000502:physiology; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome