Nasal Sinusitis in Relation to Bronchiectasis: A Review

¹ Chicago, Illinois

1) Bronchiectasis and other forms of pulmonary disease may have their sources in one or more of the nasal sinuses.

2) The fact that therapy of an existing sinusitis not infrequently leads to improvement of a bronchiectasis seems to establish an etiologic relationship, more especially since it is well known that the mucosa throughout the respiratory tract is similar.

3) The diagnosis of latent sinusitis in the presence of bronchiectatic disease is greatly facilitated by recently perfected procedures such as the use of radiopaques.

4) The role of allergy in bronchiectasis must be duly considered in the light of recent observations.

5) If, as seems reasonable to assume, sinusitis is an important etiologic factor in a large number of cases of bronchiectasis, treatment of the latter must at the same time rationally include adequate management of the existing sinus disease.