Role of Triamcinolone Irrigation in Postoperative Outcomes in Patients Operated for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Matched-Pair Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Purpose: Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is the standard treatment strategy for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) resistant to medical treatment, and it is known to have postoperative complications and recurrences, which in turn result in suboptimal outcomes. Several methods are used to prevent postoperative scarring, adhesions, oedema, infection or recurrences in cavities. The role of steroids in improving postoperative outcomes is well established. They can be administered systemically or locally to enhance drug delivery into paranasal sinuses. In this study, we used triamcinolone irrigation immediately following surgery on one side of the nose, in patients with bilateral disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of intra-operative triamcinolone irrigation on postoperative outcomes, in patients with bilateral pansinusitis. Methods: It was an interventional randomized controlled study, conducted at a tertiary care centre in North India. The analysis of 58 patients with bilateral pansinusitis was done from September 2020 to August 2021. At the conclusion of ESS, each patient was randomized to receive triamcinolone irrigation (4 ml of 40mg/ml solution) once and followed by merocel (polyvinyl acetal) packing on one side, while the contralateral side was packed with merocel soaked with saline. Nasal cavities were evaluated using a Hopkins rod endoscope in the postoperative 1st, 3rd, 8th and 12th weeks to look for the presence of postoperative crusting, oedema, polypoidal changes, and discharge. Perioperative sinus endoscopic scores (POSE) were used for endoscopic staging. Results: The most commonly affected age group was 31-45 years accounting for 39.7%. Males were affected more (63.7%) than the female population (36.3%). There was a reduction in the average POSE scores at the treatment site at all follow-up stages with a significant reduction in crusting, oedema, and scarring in the treatment site ( P-value <0.001). Conclusion: Triamcinolone irrigation effectively improves postoperative outcomes and reduces early postoperative complications in CRS patients.