Herbal ingredients reduce the risk of recurrence

Plant combination reduces recurrence risk after polyp surgery

Every thirteen Germans suffer from acute inflammation of the paranasal sinuses once a year - medically „sinusitis“ or „rhinosinusitis“ called. This makes sinusitis one of the „Top 25“ the diseases that cause the most absenteeism. If you suffer from this, you have to keep the bed for an average of six days, the Techniker Krankenkasse TK recently calculated in their health report.

The aim of the medical treatment is to combat the infection and to improve the ventilation of the nose and the drainage from the sinuses. The use of a combination of five plant extracts (BNO 101) has proven particularly successful. The Primelkombination has a pronounced antiviral and antibacterial activity, inhibits the inflammatory mechanisms in the airways and has a positive influence on the beating action of the so-called cilia („cilia“) in the mucous membranes, which facilitates the removal of the viscous mucus. But the herbal medicine can evidently even more: It also provides help, if a chronic sinusitis must be surgically remedied because of polyps, reported the Cologne ENT specialist Professor. Steffen Maune in Munich.

In a pilot study, Professor Maune's team recommended that 471 minimally-invasive, freshly-operated patients treat regularly with a nasal shower, apply a lavender ointment, and take the BNO 101 herbal combination. After an average of two years, 99 randomly selected patients were asked about their experiences. The result: 95 percent of the patients said they were satisfied with the treatment outcome. Only five percent of patients interviewed by telephone reported on the recurrence of polyps. These are significantly fewer recurrences than the usual standard follow-up care (10 to 20 percent).

The use of phytocombination for follow-up after ENT surgery should therefore soon be methodically reliably verified in a randomized, controlled and blinded study, promised Professor Steffen Maune. (KFN 02/2011 - 25.01.11)