title: Endoscopic sinus surgery: its subjective medium-term outcome in chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The subjective success of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis has been reported mainly after short-term follow-up studies, but may change with increasing time after surgery. We assessed in a retrospective study the medium-term clinical outcome of ESS as complete ethmoidectomy or pansinus surgery in 208 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The senior author performed the surgeries according to his techniques. We used a questionnaire focusing on nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, nasal dryness/crusts, sneezing, headache, smell, numbness in cheeks and lips, ear pressure, epiphora, and sore throat. Additionally the subjective influence of sinus surgery on asthma, bronchitis and allergic diseases was evaluated. The mean follow-up was 3.1 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall success was reported by 92% of all patients. Forty-one percent of all patients with complete ethmoidectomy and 32% of all patients with pansinus surgery described complete resolution of complaints. No differences in clinical success rates were noted when comparing primary surgery or revision. A favorable effect was also reported for asthma, bronchitis and allergic diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvements for nasal symptoms and coexisting complaints are demonstrated with a mean observation period of more than 3 years. The value of ESS is underlinedfor the treatment of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head- and Neck Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. heinrich.iro@hno.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iro
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wällisch
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: Malte Erik
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wigand
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome