THURSDAY, Jan. 6, 2005 (HealthDayNews) -- Endoscopic sinus surgery is a safe, effective way to relieve the pain and pressure of sinusitis in older people who can't be helped by drugs alone, says a Medical College of Georgia study.
The study included 56 people over age 60 who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in which doctors insert tiny cameras in the nose and view the images on monitors as they perform the surgery.
The patients continued to report improvement in their sinusitis symptoms during the year following the surgery. There were a few minor complications, and no major complications. The results are comparable to those in younger patients, the study found.
"This tells us that we should not neglect sinus problems in the elderly; that if medicines don't work, we have a surgical technique that is not that invasive and results in good outcomes," researcher Dr. Stilianos E. Kountakis, vice chairman of the department of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery, said in a prepared statement.
"There is a way to improve symptoms either with medicine or surgery if necessary, and it's worth pursuing because patients feel better overall and have better quality of life," Kountakis said.
The study appeared in the December issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about sinusitis.
