Controlled trial for long-term low-dose erythromycin after sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The efficacy of macrolides in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is still under controversy. To date, only two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have been published with differing results. None of these studies investigated the possible benefit of macrolides in the postoperative period. We conducted an investigator-initiated clinical trial using 250-mg erythromycin once a day over a period of 3 months, beginning the administration of either erythromycin or placebo 2 weeks after a surgical intervention for CRS. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: The concentrations of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and myeloperoxidase in nasal secretion were chosen as primary outcome measures. Additionally, as a secondary outcome measure, changes in the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20 score, olfaction, saccharin transit time, nasal endoscopy score, and self-rating of nasal health using a visual analogue scale were evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients after surgery for CRS with or without nasal polyps were screened, and 58 patients were randomized to the study groups. For the primary outcomes, the concentrations of ECP changed from 176.4 µl/l ± 79.0 to 226.1 µl/l ± 200.6 in the erythromycin group and from 186.9 µl/l ± 36.0 to 192.9 µl/l ± 189.2 in the placebo group; no statistical differences were found. Of the secondary outcomes, only the nasal endoscopy score showed a statistically significant improvement in the erythromycin group (from 2.6 ± 1.4 to 1.9 ± 1.5 points) compared to the placebo group (from 2.5 ± 1.3 to 2.6 ± 1.5 points). The subgroup of patients without nasal polyps in the erythromycin group showed a tendency to improvement in some secondary outcome criteria. CONCLUSIONS: A general recommendation for long-term, low-dose erythromycin treatment after surgery for CRS cannot be given. In patients with CRS without nasal polyps, a tendency to improved parameters was detected. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Ib.

Treatment for adult idiopathic and Wegener-associated subglottic stenosis.

The aim of the study is to present the results of combination treatment for adult non-traumatic subglottic stenosis (SGS). This is a retrospective chart review of 12 female patients (age range 32-76 years) with idiopathic SGS (eight patients) and Wegener's granulomatosis. All patients had a hard and 11 a short (less than 1 cm) stenosis. Eleven patients were treated with endoscopic CO(2) laser, one with Nd-YAG laser. Topical triamcinolone was applied to all. In 10 patients, topical mitomycin C (MMC) was additionally applied. Symptom severity and airway resistance (AR) were evaluated pre- and post-interventionally. Postoperatively, oral steroids (and/or methotrexate) and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) were prescribed. Follow-up period ranged between 7 and 115 months. All patients reported a significant improvement in obstructive symptoms. Average AR preoperatively was 1.004 kPa/(L/s) and postoperatively 0.526 kPa/(L/s). Three patients underwent surgery once, 2 required a second surgery, 5 were operated 3 times, one 5 times, and one 7 times. The latter two patients had not received local MMC treatment. Endoscopic laser surgery combined with local MMC and triamcinolone application and postoperative oral steroid/methotrexate and PPI therapy provides a treatment option that results in prolongation of the symptom-free time intervals and avoidance of open surgery in patients with idiopathic and Wegener-associated hard and short SGS.

Tracheal ceramic rings for tracheomalacia: a review after 17 years.

BACKGROUND: Despite different support techniques, the surgical management of tracheomalacia is still a challenging problem. Satisfactory results after internal stenting are above 80%, whereas, when performing external stenting using biocompatible ceramic rings, results are reported at over 90%. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficiency of surgical treatment in patients with segmentary tracheomalacia using external ceramic ring grafts. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we collected data from 12 patients who underwent surgery during the last 17 years for symptomatic segmentary tracheomalacia by use of biocompatible aluminum-oxide ceramic rings. All except one patient had undergone previous tracheostomy, six had a history of long-term intubation, two had previous trauma, and two patients had previous cancer treatment including radiotherapy. One of the patients still had an existing tracheostoma, which was closed when a ceramic ring was implanted. Tracheal wall collapse with pseudoglottis formation or flattened anterior-posterior tracheal diameter was documented with fiberoscopy at rest, and both pre- and postoperative airway resistance measurements were performed in all 12 patients using a spirometer. After malacic segments were found to be expandable using rigid tracheoscopy while the patient was under general anesthesia, preparation of the trachea was performed using a midline vertical incision in the neck. Subsequently, the malacic trachea was expanded by placing and suturing proper-sized ceramic ring(s) around it. RESULTS: In all patients, surgical expansion of the malacic segment using ceramic rings was successfully carried out without major complications while inspiratory stridor was resolved. Airway resistance decreased significantly from an average of 0.62 to 0.385 kPascal. CONCLUSION: Although the results of applying internal tracheal stents are encouraging, complications such as stent migration, granulation tissue and fistula formation, and mucociliary transport arrest are possible. Biocompatible ceramic rings do not cause foreign body reactions, remain stabile, and, with a proper suturing technique, provide a suitable long-term solution.