Electrolyzed acid water nasal irrigation after functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
BACKGROUND
Electrolyzed acid water (EAW) has been recognized to have strong bactericidal activity, and the feasibility and safety of EAW irrigation in body cavities has been reported in the literature. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of EAW nasal irrigation on the postoperative care of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).


METHODS
Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who received FESS for treatment were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups at 1 month postoperatively. Patients in group 1 received EAW for nasal irrigation daily for 2 months, those in group 2 received neutral normal saline (NS) daily for 2 months, and those in group 3 did not receive nasal irrigation after surgery. Before and 3 months after FESS, sinonasal symptoms were assessed by questionnaire and patients received endoscopic examination, acoustic rhinometry, smell test, saccharine transit test, and bacterial culture from middle meatus.


RESULTS
There were 185 patients enrolled between May 2009 and March 2012. Among the patients who completed the study, 36 received EWA irrigation, 35 received NS irrigation, and 39 (group 3) received no irrigation. Patients with nasal irrigation had a better outcome based on questionnaire score and saccharine transit time. However, there was no difference in outcome between patients who received irrigation with EAW and NS.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that EWA irrigation did not confer a greater benefit than that of NS irrigation in post-FESS care.
Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Rong-San
RS
Jiang
Kai-Li
KL
Liang
Shang-Heng
SH
Wu
Mao-Chang
MC
Su
Wen-Kang
WK
Chen
Fung-Jou
FJ
Lu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D023842:Rhinometry, Acoustic; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C118085:superoxidized water; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide