UNILATERAL ETHMOIDAL POLYPS

Abstract

Objectives: To know the etiology and incidence of unilateral ethmoidal polyps. Design: Descriptive. Setting: ENT department Allied Hospital Faisalabad. Period: From Jan 2007 to June 2009. Material and Methods: The patients were admitted through ENT out patient department. The data was collected on the basis of history, physical examination, investigations, management and follow up. Results: Out of 200 patients between 05 years to 60 years of age suffering from ethmoidal polyps the incidence of unilateral ethmoidal polyps was 35% and that of bilateral ethmoidal polyps was 65%. The 57% of patients having unilateral ethmoidal polyps were male and 43% female. The highest incidence of unilateral ethmoidal polyps was seen during second decade of life 43%.The incidence of unilateral ethmoidal polyps and bilateral ethmoidal polyps was 1.6 and 03 cases per month respectively. The most common presenting symptom was unilateral nasal obstruction
(100%) in cases of unilateral ethmoidal polyps .The most common associated disease in patients with unilateral ethmoidal polyps was deflected nasal septum (71%). Transantral ethmoidectomy was carried out in majority of patients (43%). The most common etiology held to be responsible for unilateral ethmoidal polyps was Vasomotor rhinitis (57%). Conclusions: The unilateral ethmoidal polyps are not uncommon in
young adults and the etiological factors are same as that for bilateral ethmoidal polyps.