title: Steroid-Eluting Ethmoidal Stent Versus Antero-Posterior Ethmoidectomy: Comparison Of Efficacy And Safety In Allergic Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic and chronic rhinosinusitis is a disabling pathological condition with an 8% prevalence in the European population and 5% in the Italian one. The ethmoidal sinus is the first one involved in the inflammation. The typical surgical procedure to manage ethmoidal sinusitis is an endoscopic antero-posterior ethmoidectomy. Recently introduced on the European market balloon called Relieva Stratus MicroFlow Spacer can be inserted within the ethmoid, with a local slow release of a steroid drug. This study had the aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the steroid-eluting ethmoidal stent in the management of allergic chronic rhinosinusitis in comparison with the traditional endoscopic ethmoidectomy. Methodos: 70 allergic patients who presented chronic rhinosinusitis were randomly divided into 2 groups and receive respectively the steroid-eluting ethmoidal stent or endoscopic ethmoidectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most significant observation coming from the comparative analysis of the results is the substantial equivalence of the treatment with the steroid-eluting ethmoidal stent (SEES) compared with endoscopic ethmoidectomy in the management of ethmoid chronic rhinosinusitis with the exception of a reduction of overall discomfort and nasal secretion and better functional results at rhinomanometry in the steroid-eluting ethmoidal stent group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in our experience, the SEES was efficacious in the treatment of allergic patients with ethmoidal CRS when conventional medical treatment had failed, or when wishing to avoid the classic endoscopic ethmoidectomy (EE). However, further long-term studies will be performed in order to confirm the safety and stability, over time, of the results obtained.
authors.affiliation: ENT Unit, S. Spirito Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lino Di Rienzo
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Businco
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.affiliation: ENT Unit, S. Spirito Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laurino
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Angelone
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Clinical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauriello
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, S.Giovanni Calibita Hospital Fatebenefratelli Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crescenzi
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Santo Volto Clinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Di Mario
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Alessia
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, Santo Volto Clinic, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Radici
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Allergology Unit, S. Pertini Hospital, Rome Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea Di Rienzo
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Businco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D004724:Endoscopy; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids