A comparison between middle and inferior meatal antrostomy in the treatment of chronic maxillary sinus infection.

Intranasal antrostomy has been performed in a series of 38 adult patients with either bilateral chronic or recurrent acute maxillary sinusitis which had failed to respond to medical treatment. In each patient, the antrostomy opening was made in the middle meatus of one side and in the inferior meatus of the opposite nasal cavity, laterality being randomised. A points' system was employed for comparing the pre- and post-operative symptoms, clinical and roentgenological findings. Symptoms and clinical findings were significantly improved following both types of antrostomy, while the roentgenological findings were essentially unchanged. Comparison of middle and inferior meatal antrostomies revealed no significant difference.