[Comparison of dissolvable sinus dressings in functional endoscopic sinus surgery].

OBJECTIVES Nasal packing is commonly practiced in postoperative care after nose and sinus surgery, not only for haemostasis but also as internal stabilisation and synechia formation control. The aim of our study was to compare the pain level, adhessions and haemostatic properties of Stammberger sinus dressing (SSD) with Dissolvable Sinu-Knit (DSK) and routine nasal packing in latex gloves finger (RNP) after FESS in adult patients. METHODS 45 patients with bilateral chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) (totally 90 sides) were recruited into our trial. All patients underwent bilateral FESS without septoplasty. Following completion of surgery, every single nasal cavity side was packed with one of the studied dressing chosen randomly. In 41 sides nasal cavities were packed with Stammberger Sinus Dressing (SSD) in 26 sides packed with Dissolvable Sinu-Knit and 23 sides were filled with routine nasal packing in latex gloves finger (RNP). Haemostatic effect was assessed during the recovery period, pain level was recorded by the patients on a visual analogue scale 24 hours after surgery. Tendency to postoperative middle meatal synechia formations was assessed during control visits in the 1, 2, 4 and 8 week postoperatively. RESULTS Three (7.3%) of sides packed with SSD and four (15.3%) packed with DSK had primary postoperative bleeding that required additional packing. Finally 3D patients were packed with RNP. In patients packed with RNP bleeding didn't appear. Mean pain level for SSD was 0.85 (range from 0 to 3) and for DSK 2.1 (range 0 to 5) whereas for RNP was 5.6 (range from 2 to 9). Five (13.1%) of thirty-eight sides with SSD and five (22.7%) of twenty-two sides with DSK had synechia in middle meatus whereas eight (26.6%) of total thirty sides packed with RNP had synechia at any one of the control visits. CONCLUSION We found that Rapid Rhino Stammberger Sinus Dressing and Dissolvable Sinu-Knit are associated with very low local pain level and with a good effect in postoperative bleeding and synechia formation control.