Progression of sinus disease in the intubated patient

Sinus disease in the intubated patient remains a frequent reason behind otolaryngological consultation to the Intensive Care Unit. Previous prospective studies often have been limited to only one computed tomography (CT) scan of the sinuses. The purpose of this study was to verify the development of sinus disease in the orotracheally intubated patient and determine a radiographic pattern of its progression if present.

The charts of all patients admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of aneurysm or subarachnoid hemorrhage over a 2-year period were evaluated. Patients who were orotracheally intubated with at least one postintubation CT scan of the head were included. CT scans obtained after the initiation of antibiotics or tracheostomy were excluded. The Lund-Mackay staging system was used to evaluate the scans.

A total of 50 patients with 172 scans were evaluated. Analysis revealed a significant trend toward increasing severity of radiological sinus disease over the first 7 days of intubation (p < 0.001). The presence of a nasogastric tube (NGT) resulted in an increased Lund-Mackay score, but the trend remained significant for patients without an NGT as well.

This study shows that the presence and progression of sinus findings is fairly common in the intubated patient and that although the placement of an NGT increased the rate of development of sinus findings, the lack of one did not preclude sinus disease. Clinical exam remains a more important indicator of disease when evaluating the Intensive Care Unit patient for rhinosinusitis.