title: Endoscopic sinus surgery: a safe procedure among the less experienced surgeons?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of complications in endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), in a surgical centre with 20 years of experience, and whether or not the surgeon's experience can be a predisposing factor for them to happen.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of the 667 patients who were submitted to EES between January of 2006 and December 2009, was reviewed, and the perioperative and postoperative complications were evaluated, with a minimum follow up period of 3 months. For each surgery, the surgeon's experience as well as surgery particularities, were correlated with the presence of complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 677 surgeries, the incidence of complications was of 7.39% (5.91% minor and 1.48% major). There was no correlation between surgery complications and the years of experience of the main surgeon. When comparing the complication rate between residents and specialists, there were no statistically significant differences between them. Extensive surgeries, revision surgeries and the presence and grade of polyposis, were associated with a higher rate of complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESS is not a risk free procedure. Complications can happen regardless of the surgeońs experience. Patients who are submitted to surgery by residents, under the supervision of a senior doctor, are not at greater risks of complications.
authors.affiliation: Oporto's Hospital Centre, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal. ricardobarrosoribeiro@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barroso Ribeiro
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pinto Reis
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sousa e Castro
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinto Ferreira
authors.forename: Cecília
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Almeida e Sousa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000601:surgery*; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000601:surgery*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery*