[Endoscopic operations of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the own material]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the results and 4-year own experience in the endoscopic treatment of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

In the Clinic of Otolaryngology and Laryngological Oncology of the Medical University of Lodz between 2006 and 2009 there were 603 endoscopic operations performed on patients with chronic paranasal sinusitis, including 287 females aged 17-80 and 316 males aged 18-87. The patients were qualified for the operation on the basis of an interview, objective otorhinolaryngological examination, frontal and transverse computerized tomography of the nose and paranasal sinuses, laboratory tests (blood cell count, sedimentation tests, urine tests, electrolytes tests). Moreover, allergological diagnostics (skin prick tests, intranasal provocation tests), a histopathological examination of the removed lesions and a culture of biological material from the paranasal sinuses were done. The 0 degree and 30 degrees endoscopes of Storz GMBH and Wolf and the video rotation microtome (debrider).

Possible reasons for paranasal sinusitis were: viral infection (34.8%), anatomical disorders (28.5%), irritating factors like tobacco smoke (17.9%), allergy (13.4%), tumours (3.2%) and gastroesophageal reflux (2.1%). Finally, the following endoscopic operations were conducted: revision surgery of the maxillary sinuses in 680 cases (56.4%), ethmoidectomy in 586 cases (48.6%), polypectomy in 273 cases (22.6%), re-polypectomy in 232 cases (19.2%), sphenoid sinus revision in 229 cases (19.0%), frontal sinus revision in 80 cases (6.6%) and re-ethmoidectomy in 77 cases (6.4%). The average stay in the Clinic lasted 3.2 days.

Advantages of the complex surgical treatment are found in both post-operative and pharmacological procedures. The FESS surgery should be only a minimally invasive technique, which subsequently could guarantee an effective treatment, slight post-operative complications, a short hospitalization period and a quick return of the patient to work, as it is proved by the own study.