AN ENDOSCOPIC AND TOMOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH SINUSITIS AFTER ENDOSCOPIC SINUS SURGERY AND CALDWELL-LUC OPERATION - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

To evaluate the outcome of surgery using objective methods in patients with sinusitis after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and Caldwell-Luc operation, we randomly selected 37 Caldwell-Luc-operated and 40 ESS-ap plied cases. Selected patient groups were assessed and compared by end oscopic examination and computed tomography (CT). CT was found to be n ormal in 12% of Caldwell-Luc-operated sides in comparison to 75% of ES S-applied sides. Endoscopy revealed a patency rare of the windows as 4 8% in Caldwell-Luc-operated and 86.7% in ESS-applied sides. Fibrosis a nd abnormal bony changes of the maxillary sinus were encountered in mo re than half of Caldwell-Luc-operated cases. In conclusion, ESS has a much higher rate of cure compared to the Caldwell-Luc operation if sub jective and objective evaluation methods (CT and endoscopy) are applie d.