Effects of a new administration form of oxymetazoline on maxillary ostial patency in healthy individuals and patients with acute rhinitis.

A new administration form of the nasal decongestant oxymetazoline and its effects on maxillary ostial patency were investigated in 5 healthy individuals and 20 patients with acute rhinitis. Registration and comparison of ostial patency after administration of placebo spray and oxymetazoline spray, placebo solution and oxymetazoline solution, were performed in healthy individuals. Patients with acute rhinitis were treated with either oxymetazoline solution or placebo solution, preceded and followed by registration of the equivalent maxillary ostial diameter. In both studies, solution was administered with a nasal bellows container. The results suggest that the administration of oxymetazoline solution with the nasal bellows container is a more effective way of increasing maxillary ostial patency in healthy individuals than oxymetazoline spray. In patients with acute rhinitis it also seems to be a way of increasing maxillary ostial patency.