Injecting botulinum toxin (botox) to treat intrinsic or allergic rhinitis may be a thing of the past as researchers have now shown that sponges soaked in botox are equally effective in treating the condition. The research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Head & Face Medicine offers a potential needle-free treatment to the millions of people who suffer from rhinitis.
Rainer Laskawi (ENT-Department) worked with a team of researchers from the University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany, to test the effectiveness of the botox sponge. He said, "Intrinsic rhinitis affects a lot of patients and can be quite disabling for the patient. Botox injections can help, and we wanted to explore a less invasive alternative".
The researchers inserted sponges into the patients' nostrils for 30 minutes, which were soaked with botox directly after the insertion. The patients then kept a 'nose diary' for the next twelve weeks, detailing sneezes per day, tissues used and a 'congestion score'. A group of patients who received the treatment scored better on all aspects. According to Laskawi, "We've shown that the minimally invasive application method of BTA with a sponge is a safe, painless method which can lead to a long lasting reduction of nasal hypersecretion".
It may be hypothized that there exits a certain form of a "botulinum toxin-sensitive" intrinsic rhinitis.
Notes to Editors:
1. Minimally invasive application of botulinum toxin A in patients with idiopathic rhinitis
Saskia Rohrbach, Katharina Junghans, Sibylle Köhler and Rainer Laskawi
Head & Face Medicine (in press)
During embargo, article available here: http://www.head-face-med.com/imedia/3163053452787939_article.pdf?random=643979
After the embargo, article available at journal website: http://www.head-face-med.com/
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
Article citation and URL available on request at press@biomedcentral.com on the day of publication
2. Head & Face Medicine is a multidisciplinary open access journal that publishes basic and clinical research concerning all pathological and non-pathological conditions that can affect the human head and face, including underlying and inner tissues.
3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector.
Journal
Head & Face Medicine