The novel Propel mini stent - Indications, surgical technique and first clinical experience

Abstract

The treatment of chronic frontal sinusitis is often problematic due to the anatomically narrow drainage into the nasal cavity. In addition to conservative methods, many surgical therapy procedures have been analysed, with and without the use of placeholders, but without long term therapeutic success. The aim of this work was the clinical testing of the practicability and the short- and long-term therapeutic success of the novel bioresorbable Propel mini stent. In a prospective study on 21 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and polyposis nasi, the surgical therapy and stent implantation during functional endoscopic surgery (FESS) were examined and the degradation of a total of 31 stents and the success of this therapy were endoscopically controlled and analysed over a period of 6 months. With regard to surgical practicability, the stent with insertion tool proved to be an uncomplicated and easy-to-use system. All stents were well tolerated by the patients. The average detectable absorption of the material lasted for 28 days. The patient collective showed a fully explorable neo-ostium of the frontal sinus in 94 % of cases after 3 months and in 87 % of cases after 6 months. Overall, the results of the prospective study show a good acceptance by the patients without complications as well as complete stent degradation. The follow-up examinations also showed satisfactory results over 6 months. Especially in terms of FESS, the stent system proved to be very practical.