ENDOSCOPIC TREATMENT OF ALLERGIC FUNGAL SINUSITIS

Fungal sinusitis has been seen increasingly in immunocompetent individ uals, The literature has stressed the importance of diagnosing these c ases, Surgical debridement is the treatment of choice, Six immunocompe tent individuals with allergic fungal sinusitis were seen at West Virg inia University between January 1992 and December 1993, After adequate evaluation, endoscopic surgical debridement was performed, After surg ery they were treated with systemic or topical steroids and oral antib iotics for several weeks, Two patients required a second procedure wit hin a year, Four of our six patients had positive fungal cultures for Aspergillus or Curvularia, None of our patients had evidence of invasi ve disease on histopathology, and systemic antifungal therapy was not required, Patient course and response will be discussed in detail alon g with a brief review of allergic fungal sinusitis.