BACKGROUND Postoperative irrigation after endoscopic sinus surgery and endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure is used to remove nasal crusts and to improve wound healing. To evaluate the optimal application protocol for irrigation of the frontal sinus, a prospective cadaver study was performed. METHODS An endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure and complete sphenoethmoidectomy were performed in ...

Background. We aimed to apply the ZHENG identification to provide an easy and useful tool to stratify the patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) through exploring the correlation between the quantified scores of AR symptoms and the TCM ZHENGs. Methods. A total of 114 AR patients were enrolled in this observational study. All participants received the examinations of anterior rhinoscopy and acoust...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of the atomized nasal douche in the restoration of physiological nasal functions in patients affected by acute viral rhinosinusitis, when compared with nasal lavages with isotonic sodium chloride solution. DESIGN Randomized clinical trial. SETTING The ENT Department at the University of Siena Medical School. PATIENTS Two hundred patients affected by acut...

BACKGROUND Nasal sensation of airflow describes the perception of the passage of air through the nose. Nasal obstruction can be assessed using subjective techniques (symptom scores and visual analogue scales [VAS]) and objective techniques (anterior rhinomanometry [RMN], acoustic rhinometry [AR], and peak nasal inspiratory flow [PNIF]). Few studies have evaluated the correlation between these t...

Nasal valve collapse is a dynamic abnormality that is currently diagnosed purely on the basis of clinical features and thus subject to certain interpretation. The aim of this study was to develop a new and reliable functional test to objectively characterize nasal valve collapse. This was an observational prospective study including consecutive patients referred to our center for exploration of...

OBJECTIVES To study the associations between exposure to bioaerosols and work-related symptoms, lung function and biomarkers of airway inflammation in compost workers. MATERIALS AND METHOD Personal full-shift exposure measurements were performed on 47 workers employed at five windrow plants (n=20) and five reactor plants (n=27). Samples were analyzed for endotoxins, bacteria, fungal and actin...

Nasal congestion is a major symptom of upper respiratory tract disorders, and its characterization an important part of the diagnosis of these illnesses. Patient history and assessment of nasal symptoms are essential components of diagnosis, providing an initial evaluation that may be adequate to rule out serious conditions. However, current congestion medications are not always fully effective...

BACKGROUND Exposure to wheat flour and guar gum is a well-known cause of occupational respiratory allergies among workers in the food processing industry. To date, there have been no reports of occupational rhinitis (OR) caused concurrently by two different allergens present in the workplace. AIMS To report a case of OR likely to be induced concurrently by exposure to wheat flour and guar gum...

The purpose of the study was to determine the associations between dust, endotoxins and bacterial exposure, and health effects in sewage workers. Exposure of 19 workers handling dry sludge and 25 other sewage workers was measured. Controls were office workers from compost and sewage plants. Spirometry, acoustic rhinometry and nitric oxide in exhaled air were performed before and after exposure ...