ENDOSCOPIC ENDONASAL SINUS SURGERY - A LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

This study presents 230 patients who have been selected for endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery on the basis of a standardised diagnostic pro cedure. Surgery was performed by one surgeon during the period 1987 to 1991 and the Messerklinger technique (MT) was used exclusively. The s election was made from patients with nasal/paranasal complaints remitt ed for further treatment. Diagnostic procedures comprised a thorough a namnesis including questions about additional factors such as specific allergy of the upper airways, unspecified hyperreactivity of the nasa l/paranasal mucosa, asthma, smoking, exposure to air pollution, herita ge and systemic diseases, in addition to a conventional ENT-examinatio n, endoscopy of the nasal/paranasal cavities, and tomography (conventi onal or computed). The patients were thereafter divided into the follo wing groups: 1) acute recurrent and/or chronic sinusitis, 2) nasal/par anasal polyposis, 3) sinogenic headache, 4) mucoceles, and 5) olfactor y dysfunction. More than 90% of the patients were treated on a day car e out-patient basis, under local/topical anaesthesia combined with int ravenous sedation. The extent of surgery varied in the different group s. There were no serious peroperative complications and no postoperati ve sequelaes. The patients were closely followed postoperatively for 1 -5 years (mean 3 years and 5 months) until the study was closed at the end of 1992. We conclude that endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery dema nds several postoperative controls. Meticulous postoperative care is o ne of the basic requisites for securing optimal long-term results.