Hypertonic saline and seawater solutions damage sinonasal epithelial cell air-liquid interface cultures.

BACKGROUND: Nasal irrigation (NI) is commonly used to treat several sinonasal diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP); however, the effects of NI on the sinonasal epithelium are not fully known. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of commonly used NI solutions on epithelial mucociliary and barrier functionality in primary cultured human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). METHODS: HNECs from control subjects and patients with CRSwNP were established as air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures. Differentiated cultures were treated with different NI solutions, including isotonic 0.9% and hypertonic 3.0% saline, isotonic and hypertonic seawater, and Ringer lactate solution. The changes in ciliary beat frequency (CBF), numbers of ciliated and goblet cells, and cytotoxicity were measured. Epithelial barrier functionality was assessed by measuring the transepithelial electric resistance (TER), paracellular flux, and expression of tight junction protein zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin. RESULTS: Isotonic saline, isotonic seawater, and Ringer lactate solutions did not affect epithelial mucociliary and barrier function in either control or CRSwNP-derived ALI cultures; however, hypertonic saline induced a significant disruption of these cell functions in both cultures. Hypertonic seawater caused a transient decrease of CBF and TER in CRSwNP-derived ALI cultures, in contrast to inducing an obvious mucociliary and barrier dysfunction and cytotoxicity in control ALI cultures. CONCLUSION: Although isotonic NI solutions appear to not affect epithelial mucociliary and barrier function in control and CRSwNP-derived ALI cultures, hypertonic saline and seawater solutions damaged sinonasal epithelial cells in ALI cultures. The safety and efficacy of these solutions requires further investigation.

Topical corticosteroid irrigations in chronic rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has previously been thought to occur secondary to infectious or obstructive etiologies. However, in recent years, primary CRS has been more discretely defined as diffuse airway inflammation, similar to asthma. Adequate medical and surgical therapy are needed to control the inflammation. Our purpose in this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical corticosteroid treatment. METHODS: A focused literature review was conducted and we identified 11 original articles from the years 2013-2018 evaluating safety or efficacy of topical corticosteroid irrigations. RESULTS: Eleven articles were identified. One study found significant benefit between corticosteroid irrigations versus corticosteroid sprays. Two studies found significant benefit between corticosteroid irrigations compared to saline irrigations while two did not. One study found significant improvement in certain patient populations when using corticosteroid irrigations compared to no irrigation. Five studies found no significant increase in risk of adverse side effects with the use of topical corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: Many factors are associated with efficacious and adequate treatment of primary CRS. The pathology must be correctly diagnosed and be inflammatory in nature. The treatment paradigm should include wide and complete endoscopic sinus surgery for the adequate delivery of topical therapy. Topical therapy should be delivered in large-volume, low-pressure devices with adequate dosing. Although there is some systemic absorption, multiple studies have demonstrated that long-term, daily use of topical corticosteroids does not increase intraocular pressure, suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or increase the risk of subcapsular cataracts. Therefore, topical corticosteroid irrigations should be considered a part of first-line medical treatment in postsurgical CRS patients.

Infected cochlear implant after large-volume nasal irrigation.

OBJECTIVE: A patient with a well-healed, functional cochlear implant (CI) experienced a CI and mastoid infection shortly after initiating large-volume nasal irrigations after sinus surgery. The goal of this report is to bring attention to a rare complication and to question if large-volume nasal irrigation is safe in CI recipients. PATIENTS: Single patient at a tertiary care hospital. INTERVENTIONS: A CI recipient began using large-volume nasal irrigations with saline and budesonide after undergoing sinus surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CI infection and mastoiditis. RESULTS: Two weeks after starting nasal irrigations, the patient presented with mastoiditis and CI infection. Mastoid and intranasal middle meatal cultures both grew Group A streptococcus. CONCLUSION: Large-volume nasal irrigations may be related to our patient's CI infection, ultimately leading to explantation. Though a causal relationship cannot be definitively proven, awareness of this potential safety issue should be disseminated.

Decreasing bacterial cross-contamination with a pulsating nasal irrigation device.

BACKGROUND: The use of nasal irrigation in the management of postoperative endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) patients is commonplace; however, the potential contamination of these bottles is concerning. The Sinugator® cordless pulsating nasal wash (NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA) is a battery-operated, positive pressure, pulsatile pump with a unidirectional flow. The principal aim of this study was to determine the incidence of cross-contamination using the pulsating nasal irrigation device and compare it with the traditional squeeze bottle. METHODS: Eleven post-ESS patients were given a NeilMed Sinugator nasal wash to use 3 times per day. A sterile nasal swab was obtained at the initial and second postoperative visits. A swab of the plastic irrigation reservoir was collected at the second visit. RESULTS: The overall contamination rate of bottles was found to be 45%. During the study several different organisms were cultured in the nose and bottles. The most commonly isolated organisms were coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus. We did not observe concomitant organisms in the nasal cultures and bottles in any subject. CONCLUSION: Despite using a motorized irrigation device, patients and their bottles grew positive cultures. However, no cross-contamination between the patients and bottles was identified, which can be attributed to a design that minimizes backwash.

Factors influencing the incidence of sinusitis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of sinusitis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients before and after intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and to analyze factors associated with the incidence of sinusitis following IMRT. We retrospectively analyzed 283 NPC patients who received IMRT in our hospital from March 2009 to May 2011. The diagnostic criteria for sinusitis are based on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. CT or MRI scans were performed before and after IMRT to evaluate the incidence of sinusitis. Factors influencing the incidence of sinusitis were analyzed by log-rank univariate and logistic multivariate analyses. Among the 283 NPC patients, 128 (45.2 %) suffered from sinusitis before radiotherapy. The incidence rates of sinusitis in patients with T1, T2, T3, and T4 NPC before radiotherapy were 22.6, 37.5, 46.8, and 61.3 %, respectively (χ 2 = 14.548, p = 0.002). Among the 155 NPC patients without sinusitis before radiotherapy, the incidence rates of sinusitis at the end of radiotherapy and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after radiotherapy were 32.9, 43.2, 61.3, 68.4, 73.5, 69.7, and 61.3 %, respectively (χ 2 = 86.461, p < 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that T stage, invasion of the nasal cavity, nasal irrigation, and radiation dose to the nasopharynx were associated with the incidence of sinusitis in NPC patients after IMRT (p = 0.003, 0.006, 0.002, and 0.020). Multivariate analysis showed that T stage, invasion of the nasal cavity, and nasal irrigation were influential factors for the incidence of sinusitis in NPC patients after IMRT (p = 0.002, 0.002, and 0.000). There was a higher incidence of sinusitis with higher T stage among NPC patients before radiotherapy, and the incidence of sinusitis in NPC patients after IMRT was high (45.2 %). The incidence of sinusitis increased rapidly within the first 3 months after IMRT, and the number of sinusitis cases peaked at 6-9 months after IMRT and showed a trend toward stabilization after 1 year. Advanced T stage, invasion of the nasal cavity, and nasal irrigation were positively associated with the incidence of sinusitis in NPC patients after IMRT.

Nasal saline irrigation has no effect on normal olfaction: a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Nasal saline irrigation is a safe treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis; however, its effect on olfaction is unclear. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a key second messenger in the mechanism of olfaction and has been shown to be associated with smell function. In animal studies, olfactory cilia may be harvested by simple saline preparations. This study aimed to characterize the effect of nasal saline irrigation on smell function. METHODS: Volunteers with normal olfaction were randomized into a control or irrigation cohort. In the initial appointment, subjects completed a University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and nasal samples were obtained by 2 methods: the nasal curette and cytobrush. The irrigation cohort performed daily nasal saline irrigations. Both cohorts then returned in 1 week. The UPSIT and nasal cell collection were repeated, and each subject completed a subjective olfactory transition scale. Nasal samples were processed for cAMP levels using a commercial assay. RESULTS: Thirty-two subjects were enrolled and randomized into each cohort. Control and postirrigation mean UPSIT scores were 36.8 and 36.7 (p = 0.48). No subjects reported a subjective smell loss. Ten pairs of nasal samples were assayed. Using the curette, control and postirrigation cAMP levels were 509 and 490 fmol/(mg/mL), respectively (p = 0.94). Using the cytobrush, respective cAMP levels were 424 and 449 fmol/(mg/mL), respectively (p = 0.94). CONCLUSION: Nasal saline irrigation has no subjective or objective effect on olfaction. It also does not appear to affect cAMP levels, a potential marker of smell function.

The effect of intranasal fluticasone propionate irrigations on salivary cortisol, intraocular pressure, and posterior subcapsular cataracts in postsurgical chronic rhinosinusitis patients.

BACKGROUND: Intranasal corticosteroid irrigations, especially budesonide, are used increasingly in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis. In post-endoscopic sinus surgery patients, irrigations may offer improved delivery at higher doses to the paranasal sinuses than intranasal spray preparations. Fluticasone propionate may have higher potency and lower systemic bioavailability than budesonide, but there is little data on its effects as an intranasal irrigation on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or on ocular findings. METHODS: Adult patients who had previously undergone bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery and had not taken systemic corticosteroids in the last 6 months were prospectively enrolled. Subjects irrigated with 3 mg of fluticasone propionate in 240 mL saline solution twice daily. Salivary cortisol, intraocular pressure, and the presence of posterior subcapsular cataracts were measured before drug administration and after 6 weeks of continuous use. RESULTS: Twenty-three subjects completed the study. No subjects had salivary cortisol levels below the normal range before or after therapy, and there was no statistical difference in mean salivary cortisol levels pretreatment and posttreatment (0.294 vs 0.392 µg/dL; p = 0.27). There was no clinical or statistical difference in mean intraocular pressure before or after therapy (13.3 vs 13.3 mmHg; p = 0.86). No subjects developed a posterior subcapsular cataract. CONCLUSION: Fluticasone propionate irrigations did not suppress salivary cortisol levels or result in ocular changes. Irrigation with fluticasone propionate 3 mg in 240 mL saline twice daily may be a safe alternative to other intranasal or systemic corticosteroid treatments for chronic rhinosinusitis patients.

Intranasal myiasis: a rare complication of transnasal skull base surgery.

A 57-year-old woman with a history of atypical intracranial meningioma had undergone multiple craniotomies and endoscopic skull base procedures over several years. She presented most recently with nasal discharge consisting of intranasal larvae. Isolated organisms from the nasal cavity and maxillary sinus were identified as blow fly larvae (Calliphoridae family). The patient was treated with transnasal debridement and antibiotic therapy. The organisms were successfully eradicated and she is free from further signs of infection. Intranasal myiasis is an unusual complication of anterior skull base surgery.

Paranasal sinus exostoses: possible correlation with cold temperature nasal irrigation after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Exostoses of the external auditory canal (EEAC) are a commonly encountered clinical exam finding; however, exostoses in other locations are vanishingly rare. The postoperative paranasal sinuses are penetrated with cold water solutions, the reputed etiological agent for EEAC, and development of exostoses in this unexpected location may be observed endoscopically. The surprising appearance of these protuberant lesions within the sinuses could be mistaken for more ominous processes, subjecting the patient to biopsy, surgery, or unnecessary medical therapy. The radiologic appearance of exostoses within the paranasal sinuses is herein reported for the first time, and care is taken to distinguish these bony lesions from the osteoneogenesis of chronic inflammation.

Hypertonic saline is more effective than normal saline in seasonal allergic rhinitis in children.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a very common childhood disease that is associated with a significant reduction in the patients' quality of life. Its treatment combines educating the patients and their parents, immunotherapy and drug administration. However, even the best approach does not relieve the symptoms of a number of patients. Alternative therapies are particularly needed for children because the fear of adverse events frequently reduces parental compliance to the prescribed drugs, and immunotherapy is less easy to administer than in adults. In this prospective investigator-blinded study we evaluated whether children, with a documented history of seasonal grass pollen-related AR, benefit from nasal irrigation by assessing the effects on nasal signs and symptoms, on middle ear effusion and on adenoidal hypertrophy. We randomized children aged 5 to 9 years (median age 82 months) to normal saline or hypertonic saline (a 2.7% sodium chloride solution), administered twice-daily using a disposable 20 ml syringe, or no treatment. Nasal symptoms (rhinorrhea, itching, sneezing, nasal obstruction), swelling of turbinates, adenoid hypertrophy or middle ear effusion were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Two hundred and twenty children (normal saline: 80; hypertonic saline: 80; no treatment: 60) completed the study. After four weeks, all the considered items were significantly reduced in the group receiving hypertonic saline (P < 0.0001), whereas in the group receiving normal saline only rhinorrhea (P = 0.0002) and sneezing (P = 0.002) were significantly reduced. There was no significant change in any of the items in the control group. The duration of oral antihistamines was significantly lower in the children receiving hypertonic saline than in those treated with normal saline or in controls. No adverse events were reported and parental satisfaction and compliance with the procedure were globally very good, regardless of the solution used. Using our procedure, hypertonic saline is effective, inexpensive, safe, well tolerated and easily accepted by children with seasonal grass pollen-related AR and their parents. Our data suggest that nasal irrigation with hypertonic saline might be included in the wide spectrum of therapies recommended for grass-pollen AR.

Paranasal sinus exostoses: an unusual complication of topical drug delivery using cold nasal irrigations.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The use of topical drug delivery through nasal irrigations can minimize systemic side effects and deliver higher concentrations of drugs directly to diseased sinus mucosa. Complications related to this popular method of treatment are not well described. We present our experience with paranasal sinus exostosis (PSE), a new diagnostic entity that appears to be a complication of cold nasal irrigations. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: Retrospective chart reviews were performed on patients within the Cleveland Clinic Foundation from 2005 to 2011. Six patients were identified with sinus exostoses. A literature review for "sinonasal exostoses" and "paranasal sinus exostoses" was performed using PubMed. RESULTS: Six patients with PSE were identified at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 2005 and 2011. All patients had undergone sinus surgery, and none had documented evidence of PSE prior to surgery. There was no evidence of worsening PSE once the cold irrigations were stopped. No patients showed any resolution of PSE over time. None of our patients has progressed to have disease burden significant enough to require intervention. CONCLUSIONS: PSE is a rare condition that mirrors a well-described otologic process; exostoses of the external auditory canal. PSE appears to be a complication of cold nasal irrigations. It does not resolve with the halting of cold irrigations, but does not appear to progress further after intervention. PSE only affects postoperative patients. With the evolving trend to treat postoperative sinus disease topically, the clinician should be aware of the dangers of cold irrigations, and patients should be counseled accordingly.

[Nasal douching in acute rhinosinusitis]. / Nasenspülungen bei akuter Rhinosinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Nasal douching is recommended for the treatment of a variety of diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Nasal douching with saline solution has proven to be effective in chronic rhinosinusitis and after sinus surgery and is recommended by different otolaryngologic societies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed to determine whether nasal douching is effective in the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis and in preventing recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. We also reviewed whether nasal douching has adverse eff ects and can lead to recurrent upper respiratory tract infections if performed regularly over a longer period of time. RESULTS: Nasal douching with saline solution has a limited effect in adults with acute rhinosinusitis (level of evidence Ia). It is effective in children with acute rhinosinusitis in addition to the standard medication (level of evidence Ib) and can prevent recurrent infections (level of evidence IIb). It is assumed that nasal douching improves the function of the mucous membranes. There is currently no evidence that daily nasal douching with isotonic saline solution over a longer period of time has an adverse effect on the individual health or leads to a higher rate of infections. CONCLUSION: Nasal douching with saline solutions can be recommended for adults with acute rhinosinusitis (grade of recommendation A), in addition to the standard medication in children with acute rhinosinusitis (grade of recommendation A) and to prevent recurrent infections (grade of recommendation B).