Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Physical Therapy for Surgery

Background: Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common chronic diseases involving different age groups. The different etiological factors and difficult diagnostic procedures contribute to misdiagnosis and chronicity of sinusitis. There is no standard treatment for sinusitis. Long term use of corticosteroids and antibiotics may lead to numerous adverse side effects. Laser therapy has been suggested as a non-invasive treatment for sinusitis. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. When considering maxillary sinusitis, discharge tends to collect in the sinus base due to its anatomy and altered physiology. To improve penetration of laser into the maxillary sinus, intraoral laser at the vestibule depth of the maxilla may be more effective. Material and methods: Fifty patients with chronic maxillary sinusitis.Their age ranged from 18-45 years old.They were assigned into two groups. All were assessed before and after treatment. Group A received intraoral laser radiation plus standard medical treatment and group B received medical treatment only. The treatment dosage for each sinus was 150 J using power density of 1 w/cm2 . The treatment plan was performed in 12 consecutive sessions, 3 times per week using a Diode laser with a dual wavelength of 810 nm and 980nm. The SNOT-22 questionnaire and Computed Tomography were used to evaluate patients. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Both groups showed a significant improvement in symptoms following treatment (p < .001), however, the laser therapy group demonstrated greater improvements for all variables in response to treatment as compared to the traditional treatment group (p < .001)

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