[Can the recurrence of nasal polyposis be prevented? A new therapeutic approach].

Nowadays nasal polyposis must be still considered an unsolved problem as the surgical procedures are unable to treat this pathology and the recurrence is very common. For this reason several Authors starting from the pathogenesis and the histological features have chosen a medical point of view at the aim of preventing the natural course of this disease. The present study experimented the effect of the furosemide locally administered in the prevention of polyps relapsing in subjects previously operated on. The Authors pointed out that the furosemide was able to decrease the nasal reactivity to the challenge with ultrasonic nebulized distilled water. Besides this drug locally administered for 3 months (once a day) maintained the nasal mucosa of the patients affected with hyperreactivity in a good functional condition without nasal obstruction. In fact no polyps were found at the objective examinations performed during the three years follow up and the values of acoustic rhinometry measurements were within the normal range. Finally the present research gave the opportunity to hypothesize the role of sodium, potassium and calcium ions transport regulated by drugs or other physiopathological events, in the physiology of the nasal mucosa.