Correlation of Middle Meatus, Ethmoid Sinus and Maxillary Sinus Microbiology in Patients with Chronic Sinusitis

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The bacteriology of chronic sinusitis helps us to understand sinusitis and plays an important role in selecting appropriate antibiotics. In recent studies, a good correlation was found between middle meatus and maxillary sinus cultures. We correlate middle meatus, ethmoid sinus and maxillary sinus microbiology in patients with chronic sinusitis and try to determine whether middle meatus cultures can replace maxillary sinus and ethmoid sinus cultures as noninvasive alternative methods. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 32 patients with chronic sinusitis who didn't respond to medical therapy and received endoscopic sinus surgery were selected. Intraoperative middle meatus, anterior ethmoid and maxillary sinus samples from 32 patients under endoscopic visualization using sterile cotton swabs (BBL Culture Swab(R), BBL, USA) were collected. RESULTS: The overall correlation rate of middle meatus and ethmoid sinus cultures was estimated to be 84.4%. The overall correlation rate of middle meatus and maxillary sinus cultures was estimated to be 84.4%. The most frequently isolated bacteria were coagulase negative Staphylococci in middle meatus and Staphylococcus aureus in ant. Ethmoid and maxillary sinus. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that middle meatus cultures correlate well with anterior ethmoid and maxillary sinus cultures and can be used to guide antibiotics selection in chronic sinusitis.