Budesonide has been used for a number of years as a topical nasal corticosteroid in the treatment of nasal allergy and nasal polyps. Recently, a new device for powder insufflation where no constituents or preservatives are included has been developed (Rhinocort Turbuhaler, Astra Draco AB, Sweden). The present investigation was designed in order to study the efficacy of topical budesonide powder as the only treatment of nasal polyps. A total of 126 patients entered the study. The medical history and clinical recordings included symptoms and signs, a semiquantitative test of smell and measurement of nasal expiratory peak flow index. Medication was either 200 or 400 micrograms of budesonide powder b.i.d. or placebo. After 1 month an overall assessment of treatment efficacy was made to determine whether the treatment had been a success or a failure. The results showed a statistically significant improvement of symptoms and signs in the actively treated groups. The increase in expiratory peak flow index was about 60% in the actively treated groups as opposed to 16% in the placebo group. The overall assessment of treatment efficacy showed success in about 82% of actively treated patients as opposed to about 43% in the placebo group. It is concluded that budesonide powder is useful in the treatment of nasal polyps.

Various definitions have been proposed for the term 'chronic sinusitis' but too often reports on chronic sinusitis lack a definition. In order to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, and also to facilitate comparisons between clinical investigations, definitions of 'chronic maxillary sinusitis' of either rhinogenous or dental origin are proposed. It is suggested that the differential diagnosis should be based upon the duration of symptoms, ENT and dental examinations, sinus radiographs and/or sinoscopy, and results of conservative treatment. In a study conducted over a 5-year period, 198 patients with 244 affected sinuses fulfilled the proposed criteria. The incidence of chronic maxillary sinusitis in the population was 0.02%. A dental cause was found in 40.6% of the sinuses. The dental cause could be confirmed by routine dental examination in only 43 of 99 cases, while an extended maxillo-dental examination was conclusive in the other cases (56/99). Marginal periodontitis was found as frequently as periapical granuloma and together they constituted 83% of all dental causes. Sinusitis of dental origin was rare before the age of 30. Every sixth patient was found to have nasal polyposis. When related to the number of affected sinuses, the incidence of nasal polyposis was 13.1% in sinusitis of dental origin and 23.4% in that of rhinogenous origin. The importance of close cooperation between the ENT specialist and the oral surgeon is stressed.

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In patients with nosebleedings, the hemostatic effect of local application of tranexamic acid gel or placebo was compared in a randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial with parallel groups. The times needed to arrest the initial bleeding were recorded, as well as any rebleedings within 10 days. The results showed no significant differences in any of the efficacy variables. Tranexamic acid was no better than placebo in the early treatment of nose bleedings, but the gel itself seemed to have a beneficial effect. The gel preparations were easy to insert into the nasal cavity and caused no discomfort to the patients.