RESUMEN
Fifty patients with signs and symptoms of chronic sinusitis and refractory to medical treatment constituted this study. They were divided at random into two groups of 25 patients each. Group A (study group) patients were subjected to functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) and group B (control group) patients were treated by conventional surgery. The age of the patients varied from 16-55 years (mean 29.1). Out of 25 patients in the study group, 19(76%) had complete relief of symptoms, 4(16%) had partial relief of symptoms and 2(8%) had no relief of symptoms in the follow-up period of 15-33 months (mean 19.2 months). Out of 25 patients in the control group, 15(60%) had complete relief of symptoms, 4(16%) had partial relief of symptoms and 6(24%) had no relief of symptoms in the follow-up period of 15-33 months (mean 19.2 months). The results of this series revealed that FESS had the combined advantages of precise, atraumatic removal of the disease with minimal morbidity and at the same time retaining the physiological function of the nose and paranasal sinuses.