The Aftermath of the Battle Between Covid-19 & Invasive Fungal Sinusitis: A long Term Prospective Study

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic saw a surge of invasive fungal sinusitis. This study prospectively followed up these cases to observe the long term sequelae and prognosis in these patients. A prospective, hospital based observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral center amongst 124 patients diagnosed with COVID- 19 associated invasive fungal sinusitis of the paranasal sinuses between April 2021 to September 2021. These patients were treated with surgery and or antifungals depending on the extend of the disease and surgical fitness of the patient and they were prospectively followed up till October 2023 by reviewing the clinical features, symptoms, serial nasal endoscopies and radiological imaging such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The overall survival at the end of three months and eighteen months was 79.8% and 72.03% respectively. The most common presenting symptom in the outpatient department was facial pain in 67 patients (72.04%) which improved in only 17.91%. During the follow up period two patients developed progressive disease which required multiple surgeries.Covid-19 related invasive fungal sinusitis patients need judicious follow up for long term to minimise the possibility of progressive disease and associated complications.