Application of endoscopic sinus surgery to primary atrophic rhinitis? A clinical trial

The aetiology of primary atrophic rhinitis (AR) is still unclear. Based on the sinus infection theories, endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) was applied to treat AR. ESS was performed on 14 patients following Stammberger's techniques along with middle turbinectomy. Patients were evaluated using clinical symptoms, radiological sinus images, saccharine time tests, bacterial cultures and mucosal ultrastructures, before and 2 years after ESS. Three patients had good recoveries, 6 had partial recoveries and another 5 had persistent disease. Good recovery patients showed clear nasal cavities and mucociliary transport system normalisation. Patients possess in meagre infectious signs or crusting extending to their nasopharynx had poor outcomes. Patients with evidence of obvious infections (cloudy sinus images, mucopus presence in the sinuses and positive culture for Klebsiella ozaenae) had good recoveries following ESS. Candidate selection is critical for the success of ESS treatment in AR. Although further clinical trials are required to prove this strategy.