Standalone balloon dilation versus sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis: a prospective, multicenter, randomized,...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Rhinology

Background:

• Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) significantly impacts quality of life.
• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a common treatment for CRS.
• Minimally invasive alternatives are being explored for CRS management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare symptom improvement between balloon dilation and FESS in CRS patients.
• To evaluate the superiority of balloon dilation over FESS for postoperative debridements.
• To assess recovery outcomes, complications, and revision rates for both procedures.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized controlled study comparing office balloon dilation to FESS.
• Adults with uncomplicated CRS of the maxillary sinuses were randomized 1:1.
• Symptom improvement assessed using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) survey over 6 months.

Main Results:

• Balloon dilation was noninferior to FESS in symptom improvement (SNOT-20 scores).
• Balloon dilation demonstrated superiority in reducing the need for postoperative debridements (0.1 vs 1.2 per patient).
• Balloon dilation showed significantly better outcomes in reduced bleeding, pain medication use, and faster recovery.

Conclusions:

• Balloon dilation is a noninferior alternative to FESS for symptom improvement in CRS.
• Balloon dilation is superior to FESS regarding the need for postoperative debridements.
• Balloon dilation represents an effective treatment option for selected CRS patients.