title: Effects of cryotherapy on the maxillary antrostomy patency in a rabbit model of chronic rhinosinusitis.
abstract: It is acknowledged that many causes of failures in endoscopic sinus surgery are related to scarring and narrowing of the maxillary antrostomy. We assessed the effect of low-pressure spray cryotherapy in preventing the maxillary antrostomy stenosis in a chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) rabbit model. A controlled, randomized, double-blind study was conducted on 22 New Zealand rabbits. After inducing unilateral rhinogenic CRS, a maxillary antrostomy was performed and spray cryotherapy was employed on randomly selected 12 rabbits, while saline solution was applied to the control group (n = 10). The antrostomy dimensions and the histological scores were assessed 4 weeks postoperatively. The diameter of cryotreated antrostomy was significantly larger at 4 weeks than that in the control group. At 4 weeks, the maxillary antrostomy area in the study group was significantly larger than the mean area in the control group (103.92 ± 30.39 mm² versus 61.62 ± 28.35 mm², P = 0.002). Submucosal fibrous tissues and leukocytic infiltration in saline-treated ostia were more prominent than those in cryotreated ostia with no significant differences between the two groups regarding the histological scores. Intraoperative low-pressure spray cryotherapy increases the patency of the maxillary antrostomy at 4 weeks postoperatively with no important local side effects.
authors.affiliation: II-nd Department of Otolaryngology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Street Republicii No. 18, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Anamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gocea
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taulescu
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trombitas
authors.forename: Silviu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D017679:Cryotherapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011817:Rabbits; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*