[Comparative evaluation of surgical methods for treating chronic frontal sinusitis].

Life-time microscopy of the mucosal scrapings was performed in diverse periods after surgical treatment of chronic frontal sinusitis to study the condition of the mucosa in the area of frontonasal anastomosis. The causes of frontal sinusitis recurrences were analyzed in respect to method of surgery used: shunting, functional endoscopic frontoethmoidotomy and conventional surgery with external approach. The main cause of the recurrences was functional incompetence of the frontonasal anastomosis as a result of persistent inflammation of the anterior cells of theethmoidal labyrint and due to anatomic anomalies of the nasal lateral wall. The best outcomes were observed after functional endoscopic frontoethmoidotomy. Conventional surgery with external approach brought about the greatest number of recurrences (30.3%).