Quality of Life after Balloon Sinuplasty

Abstract

Objective: To compare the quality of life of chronic sinusitis patients treated with FESS and those treated by balloon sinuplasty through a randomized prospective study. Method: Study design: prospective cohort. Time frame: August 2009 to December 2011. Disease: Chronic rhinosinusitis. Setting: Tanta University Hospitals. Subjects and methods: Twenty patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis were randomly distributed into 2 equal groups: group A treated with FESS and group B treated with balloon sinuplasty. Outcome measurements: Preoperative and postoperative evaluation by SNOT-20 questionnaire, endoscopic examination, and Lund-Mackay CT staging. Results: The balloon catheters dilated all ostia successfully (17 maxillary, 5 sphenoid, and 3 frontal recesses). No adverse effects were recorded. At 12 months, overall patency in 88%, non-patency rate of 4%, and “indeterminate” in 8%. In 2 sinuses, a revision procedure was required (8%) based on clinical and CT findings, compared to 3 sinuses in FESS group. There was a significant improvement over baseline measures in the SNOT-20 in both procedures. As for the patients satisfaction with the interventions; 100% answered “yes, they would undergo the procedure again,” for sinuplasty, against 40% of the patients submitted to FESS. Conclusion: Balloon sinuplasty is safe and effective and improves patients’ quality of life. It may be used as a stand-alone or as a hybrid procedure. Candidates are patients with chronic sinusitis limited mostly to ostial obstruction. Cases of isolated sphenoid, maxillary, and frontal sinusitis are particularly attractive to avoid resection of normal ethmoid sinuses.