Postoperative care following endoscopic sinus surgery

Postoperative care is very important in the global management of the patient undergoing ESS. Postoperative tamponnade, packing, splinting or stenting is advocated by many surgeons, but its clinical beneficial effects have not clearly been demonstrated. Postoperative rinsing/washing of the surgical cavity offers advantages in healing: high volume, low pressure is to be preferred. Suction cleaning is advocated on a weekly basis starting one week after ESS and continues until secretions, blood, crusts have disappeared. Topical medications have not been the subject of randomized clinical trials. Of the various classes of systemic (oral) medications, only steroids resulted in better short term outcome when using higher doses compared to lower doses. Antibiotics have not shown clinical effects and should not routinely be given.