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Center specializes in sinus conditions by Heather Woolwine Public Relations With winter and the holiday season tapping at the Lowcountry’s door, we’re reminded of warm winter wear, hot beverages, holiday festivities and, unfortunately for those of us with sensitive sinuses, that a change in weather equals sinus trouble.   Whether your sinus issues reoccur with each season or maybe you catch the rogue infection, MUSC’s Rhinology Sinus Center possesses the expertise to care for any sinus problem.   Rod Schlosser, M.D., Rhinology Sinus Center director, acknowledged the center’s unique position when dealing with sinus trouble. “Working on the sinuses is the only thing we do,” he said. “We take a cutting edge approach and therefore are able to take advantage of new equipment before it’s available to most other medical centers. We work with basic and clinical scientists to study how the sinuses are impacted by various conditions or disease, and teaching the next generation of specialists is a top priority for the center.”   The Rhinology Sinus Center is one of only two centers in the country designated a National Center of Excellence by a number of international equipment companies. It opened four years ago and recently received more than $1 million in new equipment for teaching, research and education.   Although one of the center’s goals is to expand teaching and research, Schlosser and his colleagues remain true to patient care, especially during times of the year when they see an increase in patients with sinus trouble.    “The patients that see are people who have been to their primary care provider or local ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor and continue to have problems,” he said. “While the vast majority of people who get a sinus infection will respond to antibiotics, some will not. Those patients receive a detailed exam with an endoscope and medication, like a steroid, is usually what does the trick. Most of our patients don’t actually require sinus surgery, which a lot of people are afraid will be the automatic diagnosis when they come to see a specialist.”   Schlosser and his staff see patients suffering from chronic headaches, distressing allergies and facial pain. “We also see a number of patients with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and other lung disorders, and thus work very closely with our pulmonary colleagues,” he said.   Schlosser works with John Baatz, Ph.D., Pediatric Pulmonology and the Darby Children’s Research Institute, on sinus research as it relates to patients with different patterns of sinus inflammation, similar to pulmonary patients and inflammation in their lungs. The center received funding from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the American Rhinology Society to study different types of sinusitis and inflammation as related to specific conditions.   For more information about the MUSC Rhinology Sinus Center, visit http://muschealth.com/nose/index.htm.               Friday, Nov. 18, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.