Efficacy of Absorbable Steroid-Impregnated Nasal Packing in Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of absorbable steroid-impregnated nasal packing on postoperative outcomes following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Twelve databases (including Journals@Ovid, Embase®, Medline®, EBM Reviews and Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database) were searched using relevant keywords and expanded with corresponding MeSH/Emtree terms. Results were narrowed to English articles assessing the efficacy of absorbable packing impregnated with steroids post-production placed at time of surgery under general anesthetic, with hollow-lumen devices and devices inserted in-office excluded. RESULTS: Eight studies met criteria and were included in this review. Five evaluated the efficacy of the intervention in only CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) patients, two included all subtypes of CRS, and one included only CRS without nasal polyposis (CRSsNP). Of the eight studies, four studied the efficacy of Nasopore®, three studied bioabsorbable gels, and one studied bioabsorbable calcium alginate. Four studies applied triamcinolone as the operative steroid, with the other studies utilizing betamethasone, budesonide, mometasone, and dexamethasone. Seven studies demonstrated statistically significant improvements in endoscopic outcomes using validated scoring scales, albeit at differing timepoints. The one study which included only CRSsNP patients failed to find a significant difference. CONCLUSION: Steroid-impregnated nasal packing appears to have positive effects on postoperative endoscopic outcomes in CRSwNP patients undergoing FESS. Additional research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of these interventions in more recently defined subtypes of CRS, and whether these interventions differ in their efficacy in eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic CRS. Laryngoscope, 131:1704-1714, 2021.

Aggressive inflammatory pseudotumor of the maxillary sinus and orbit.

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare, locally aggressive, benign neoplasm of unknown etiology. It is uncommon in the head and neck region, particularly in the paranasal sinuses. We present an unusual case of IPT of the maxillary sinus and orbit in a 27-year-old woman who presented with cheek swelling, right orbital swelling, double vision, and associated fever and trismus. Computed tomography identified a mass with radiologic features suggestive of a malignancy of the maxillary sinus and orbit; the mass extended into the infratemporal fossa, parapharyngeal space, anterior antral wall, and surrounding soft tissue. A diagnosis of IPT was established on the basis of histologic and immunohistochemical analysis, which identified a proliferation of bland spindle cells and a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate. Despite its aggressive appearance, IPT is associated with a good prognosis. Our patient was treated successfully with a combination of surgery, steroid therapy, and methotrexate. Chemotherapeutic agents are generally reserved for recalcitrant cases.

Silent sinus syndrome due to a maxillary mucocele.

Silent sinus syndrome is a rare clinical condition in which patients present with spontaneous enophthalmos and hypoglobus secondary to collapse of orbital floor due to chronic subclinical maxillary sinusitis. It is postulated that obstruction of the osteomeatal complex lead to negative antrum pressure which causes the maxillary sinus atelectasis.