EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC SINUS SURGERY ON MAXILLARY SINUS MUCOSA

Objective: To compare the preoperative and postoperative changes on ci liary surface of maxillary sinus mucosa in patients treated with funct ional endoscopic sinus surgery. Design: The maxillary mucose of both t he superolateral wall and the ostium were sampled during the operation and 6 to 12 months (mean duration, 7.6 months) after the operation. C iliary surface was determined using scanning electron microscopy in co mbination with an image analyzer and was expressed in terms of ciliary area, which is the percentage of mucosal surface occupied by cilia. S etting: The samples were taken at a hospital-based clinic. An electron microscopic study was performed at Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Japan. Patients: Sixteen patients (20 maxillary sinuses) undergo ing functional endoscopic sinus surgery for treatment of chronic sinus itis. Results: The mean (CSD) ciliary area before the surgery was 60.7 +/-28.8% and 39.9%+/-21.5% in the superolateral wall of the maxillary sinus and the ostium of the maxillary sinus, respectively. The ciliary area of the superolateral wall was significantly higher than that of the ostium (P<.001). The mean (+/-SD) postoperative ciliary area value was 74.3% +/- 22.6% in the superolateral wall and 51.3% +/- 16.1% in the ostium. These postoperative values were significantly higher than the preoperative values(P<.001). Conclusions: This study showed that t he maxillary sinus mucosa in chronic sinusitis is capable of regenerat ion, and the damaged ciliated epithelium could return toward normal wi th the improvement of ventilation and drainage of the maxillary sinus following functional endoscopic sinus surgery.