[The ethmoiditis of the child and the irrigation treatments by Proetz in short general anaesthesia (author's transl)].

From the anatomy of the sinuses in children and the follow-up of inflammatory diseases one can assume that in most cases the infection develops primarily in the ethmoid. We therefore believe that the diagnosis of chronic maxillary sinusitis in children is mostly wrong as well as the decision to operate upon the maxillary sinus before sanation of the ethmoid sinuses. The term pyosinus should be reintroduced to facilitate the differential diagnosis from sinusitis. Analogous to irrigation treatment of the maxillary sinus the displacement-method by Proetz is the only possible irrigation for the ethmoid sinus. The technique of Proetz-irrigation in short general anaesthesia is described and recommended. Prompt and effective treatment of ethmoiditis will avoid extension over the maxillary sinus. Thus surgery on the maxilla - very problematic in view of its growth - can be ommited in most of the cases.