Diagnosis and treatment of sinus disease

Author: Zong Laike
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Those who interact with patients suffering from chronic rhino-sinusitis know that the impact of this disease on their quality of life is far more severe than previously imagined. Chronic rhino-sinusitis is also one of the most common chief complaints in clinical practice, with a subtle onset. This condition can be found worldwide, especially when I attend conferences and lectures abroad. Regardless of whether in developing or developed countries, the most frequent greeting I receive is, "You've come to the right place; this must be the global capital of sinusitis." In recent years, our understanding of rhino-sinusitis has significantly deepened, and our diagnostic and treatment capabilities have continuously improved. Meanwhile, long-neglected clinical and basic research in this field has also begun to revive. The purpose of this book is to provide a professional text written by internationally renowned academic leaders in the field, offering comprehensive and up-to-date discussions on the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of rhino-sinusitis. We hope we have achieved this goal, but like all first-edition books, it is inevitable that some imperfections remain: certain chapters need "expansion," others require compression, and some that should have been included were not. I would like to extend special thanks to each chapter author for their hard work and great patience throughout the publication process.
When I was still a resident physician, I often focused on the treatment methods for nasal and sinus diseases that seemed to yield poor results. Later, I was fortunate enough to collaborate with Dr. Donald Proctor on a research project regarding mucus-cilia clearance. In clinical practice, he also taught us the importance of endoscopic diagnosis and the key role of screening in the pathogenesis. Early in my career as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, I knew that nasal and sinus diseases significantly impact eustachian tube function. Therefore, if the patient's sinus disease has a substantial effect on the development of ear diseases, we often initiate medical treatment and perform microscopic endoscopic ethmoidectomy.
In the late 1970s, I wrote an article for a journal introducing Professor Messerklinger's classic work, "Endoscopy of the Nose." The precision of the endoscopic diagnostic methods he described was unprecedented, and I was immediately captivated. However, at that time, radical surgeries that stripped the mucosa were the prevailing treatment, and people were still unclear about the need for such meticulous diagnosis. In the early 1980s, I had the opportunity to exchange ideas with Professor Messerklinger at a conference and personally witnessed his outstanding work in mucus-cilia clearance. Combined with his original concept of precise endoscopic surgery, all this reignited my interest in sinus diseases.
Since we first proposed the concept of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), I have had the chance to visit many distinguished rhinologists and learn a great deal from them. This has further refined my thinking and perspective on this field. This book briefly introduces experts immersed in this exciting research field to the current understanding of the pathogenesis of sinus diseases and advancements in treatment. We sincerely hope this book will help improve clinical practice and inspire new research endeavors.