[Nasal endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy].

Middle meatal antrostomy under nasal endoscope, a functional procedure which conforms to paranasal sinus physiology, has provided a new approach to reestablishing the ventilation and drainage of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus. A 3-15 month's follow-up of 75 patients with chronic sinusitis and polyps who had undergone endoscopic sinus surgery shows a higher patency rate of 86.7% and a lower closure rate of 13.3%. While for patients who received inferior meatal antrostomy the patency rate was 54.7% and the closure rate 45.3%. There was a significant difference (P < 0.01) between the two groups in patency rate and closure rate respectively. So the antrostomy of middle meatus appears to be better than that of inferior meatus. The clinical significance of middle meatal antrostomy on the basis of anatomy and physiology of paranasal sinus is emphasized in discussion.