Usefulness of bilateral mucoplasty plus reboot surgery in severe type-2 chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

BACKGROUND: Although extended endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) constitutes an alternative approach in patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP), the surgical techniques proposed so far do not allow for an optimal control of the disease. This study introduces bilateral mucoplasty as a complementary technique to extended ESS such as reboot surgery, analyzing its benefits in healing and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Patients diagnosed with severe Type-2 CRSwNP were selected for a prospective cohort study in two surgery groups: reboot surgery plus bilateral mucoplasty versus reboot surgery only. In the first group, an autologous endonasal mucosal graft from the nostril floor was placed bilaterally onto the ethmoidal roof. Endoscopic, radiological and QoL outcomes were compared before and one year after surgery between the two groups using Modified Lund Kennedy (LKM), Meltzer and Lund Mackay (LM) scores, and the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22). RESULTS: 64 patients with homogeneous baseline characteristics were included: 17 patients underwent a reboot surgery plus a bilateral mucoplasty and 47 a reboot surgery only. LKM, Meltzer and SNOT-22 scores showed significant differences before and after surgery in both groups, with higher improvement in the mucoplasty group. A greater mean improvement of 20.5 ± 6.4 points in SNOT-22 change was associated with bilateral mucoplasty. CONCLUSION: Bilateral mucoplasty plus reboot surgery constitutes a useful surgical resource in Type-2 CRSwNP patients, showing improved endoscopic, radiological and QoL outcomes one year after surgery. Further studies are needed to determine their long-term benefits.

Free nasal floor mucosal grafting after endoscopic total ethmoidectomy for severe nasal polyposis: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We report a novel surgical technique based on an endonasal free mucosal graft (mucoplasty) for improving clinical results and local healing in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). METHODS: Patients diagnosed with bilateral CRSwNP scheduled for endoscopic sinus surgery were included. They underwent complete removal of anterior and posterior ethmoid cells, in addition to bilateral type III frontal sinusotomy. An endoscopic mucoplasty was performed in the left nasal cavity, whereas the right nasal cavity served as control. Patients were evaluated before surgery and 6 months after operation, including Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for olfaction, endoscopic evaluation using the Modified und-Kennedy (MLK) scoring system and healing evaluation. RESULTS: Ten patients (mean age 53.6 years) were included. A significa t decrease of SNOT-22 score from 57.0 (21.1) to 20.3 (20.6) (P = 0.024) and a non-significa t decrease of VAS for olfaction score from 9.3 (0.5) to 4.6 (3.9) were found. Preoperative mean MLK score was 4.9 (0.7) in the right nostril and 4.8 (1.0) in the left one. After operation, there was a greater decrease of MLK score in the left nostril than in the right (1.9 [1.0] vs. 1.3 [0.8], P = 0.034). Better healing was proved in the nostril with the mucoplasty. CONCLUSION: Endonasal mucoplasty could be an effective, safe and feasible complementary surgical procedure in the treatment of CRSwNP. The reduced local edema associated with lower amount of secretions may confer a better control in the frontal recess, orbital wall and nasal roof.

Nasal Hyperreactivity: Nonspecific Nasal Provocation Tests. Review by the Rhinoconjunctivitis Committee of the Spanish Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Nasal hyperreactivity is the abnormal reaction of nasal tissue to a stimulus that is innocuous to most people. This response is caused by dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system at various levels of the nasal autonomic reflex arc. Various stimuli (methacholine, histamine, adenosine 5'-monophosphate, cold air, mannitol, rapsaicin, phentolamine, and distilled water) have been used in an attempt to find the test that most reliably differentiates between healthy individuals and patients and also between different types of rhinitis. Despite the small number of publications available, in the present review, we provide an update on current nonspecific nasal provocation techniques. The studies published to date are not comparable: the stimuli applied act through different mechanisms and are used to assess different pathways, and the methodologies differ in terms of selection of participants, concentrations used, and assessment of response (criteria for positivity). Given the limited use of nonspecific nasal provocation tests in routine clinical practice, we believe that more studies are warranted to address the research issues we present at the end of the present review, for example, the need to standardize the methodology for each test or even the clinical benefits of knowing whether or not a patient has nasal hyperreactivity.

[Esophageal foreign bodies. Our ten years of experience]. / Cuerpos extraños esofágicos: nuestra experiencia en diez años.

OBJECTIVE: To study the management of esophageal foreign bodies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was made of all rigid esophagoscopies performed for suspected foreign bodies in the esophagus by an otolaryngology department for ten years. RESULTS: Rigid esophagoscopy was performed for suspected foreign bodies in 46 patients (27 females, 19 males); age range 22 months to 88 years. In 40 cases an impacted foreign body was found. The most frequent location was the upper third of the esophagus (33/82.5%). The most common type of foreign body was chicken bones in adults (17/42) and coins in children (2/4). Nine patients (all adults) had complications. CONCLUSIONS: Due to its low cost and morbility, flexible endoscopy is the first choice for managing esophageal foreign bodies. Rigid esophagoscopy is still an appropriate technique when flexible endoscopy fails or it is not possible.