Nasal-air conditioning in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis

To compare nasal-air conditioning in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis with healthy control subjects without nasal pathologic conditions, to investigate nasal-air conditioning after endoscopic sinus surgery with and without septoplasty and turbinoplasty 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, to examine the parameters of nasal patency and nasal geometry that possibly influence nasal-air conditioning before and after endonasal surgery, and to determine their relationship to nasal-air conditioning parameters.

Prospective cohort study.

Tertiary referral center.

Twenty-five patients (median age, 51 years; age range, 20-74 years) having a diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis refractory to medical treatment and 22 healthy control subjects (median age, 25 years; age range, 18-52 years).

Patients underwent endoscopic sinus surgery with or without septoplasty and turbinoplasty during 6 months and were followed up 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.

Nasal-air conditioning was measured and acoustic rhinometry and active anterior rhinomanometry were performed before and after nasal surgery.

Nasal airflow and nasal volume were significantly higher postoperatively than preoperatively. The preoperative heat increase and water gradient were lower in the patients compared with the controls. The postoperative heat increase was significantly higher than the preoperative values. The water gradient did not change after endonasal surgery. Nasal patency and volume were positively correlated with nasal heating, whereas nasal humidification showed a significant negative correlation with nasal volume.

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis seem to benefit from endoscopic sinus surgery with or without septoplasty and turbinoplasty because nasal heating is improved postoperatively. Four to 6 weeks after endonasal surgery, nasal humidification is neither improved nor worsened compared with preoperative values.