Clinical outcomes of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in cystic fibrosis patients - a single centre experience

Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is an established surgical option for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with chronic rhinosinusitis that is refractory to conventional medical management. Objective and subjective evidence of benefit of ESS in this cohort of patients is currently conflicting in the literature.

A single center retrospective study was undertaken of all CF patients (transplanted and non-transplanted) over the age of 16 who underwent an ESS over a six-year period from 2015 to 2021. Patients on triple-therapy CFTR modulators were excluded. Data was collected on demographics, clinical management, and outcome measures. The objective outcome measures were lung function (%predicted FEV1), pulmonary exacerbations (total number of days of IV antibiotics- both ambulatory and in hospital). The subjective outcome measure was SNOT-22 scores pre and 6 months post-operatively. A minimally clinical important difference (MCID) in SNOT-22 scores of 9 points was used.

55 patients were included in our study, with a median age of 31 and 53% females. Median Lund-Mackay scores for the cohort was 13 (3-24). There was a significant improvement in lung function at 1-year post-surgery, and a significant MCID reduction in SNOT-22 scores at 6 months post-surgery across the cohort. Sub-group analysis revealed a sustained MCID reduction in SNOT-22 scores in both lung-transplanted and native lung groups, and in patients with primary ESS or previous ESS. However, there was no post-operative pulmonary function improvement in lung transplanted patients and patients with previous ESS. There was no impact on the rate of pulmonary exacerbations across the cohort. 2 patients in the cohort died secondary to pulmonary disease.

There was a demonstrated clinical and symptomatic benefit of ESS in CF patients in this study. Stricter guidelines for indications for ESS need to be established with regards to CF patients who will undergo ESS in the future.