Postoperative care following endoscopic sinus surgery

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Innovation
• Patient Recovery

Background:

• Effective postoperative care is essential for patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).
• The benefits of traditional methods like packing or stenting after ESS remain unclear.
• Optimizing the healing process post-ESS is critical for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of different postoperative care strategies following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS).
• To determine the most beneficial methods for surgical cavity cleaning and patient recovery.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for postoperative management after ESS.

Main Methods:

• Review of current practices in postoperative care for ESS.
• Analysis of the clinical benefits of interventions such as packing, stenting, rinsing, and suction cleaning.
• Examination of the role of systemic medications, including steroids and antibiotics.

Main Results:

• High-volume, low-pressure rinsing of the surgical cavity demonstrates advantages for healing.
• Weekly suction cleaning is effective in clearing secretions, blood, and crusts until resolution.
• Higher doses of systemic steroids showed improved short-term outcomes, while antibiotics lacked clinical effect.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative rinsing and suction cleaning are beneficial for healing after ESS.
• Systemic steroids may improve short-term outcomes, but routine antibiotic use is not supported.
• Evidence-based guidelines for ESS postoperative care are needed to optimize patient recovery.