title: Endoscopic sinus surgery for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in patients with postirradiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after irradiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of postirradiated NPC patients who received ESS for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Symptoms, endoscopic findings, and computed tomography were used to evaluate the efficacy of ESS in these patients, and the safety was evaluated by intraoperative findings and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since 1996, 10 postirradiated NPC patients with chronic rhinosinusitis have been treated by ESS and followed up for at least 2 years. The interval between radiotherapy and ESS was from 4 months to 16 years. After surgery, 7 patients felt improved except for one patient who died of tumor recurrence and computed tomography scores changed from 6.6 to 3.7, although prolonged nasal crusting was observed in most patients by endoscopy. One patient was complicated with cerebrospinal fluid leakage and the dura defect was immediately repaired without any sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that ESS is effective for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in postirradiated NPC patients if they failed medical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mao-Chang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Rong-San
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jung-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Jin-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011336:Probability; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome