[Efficacy of glucocorticoid stent implantation in ethmoid sinus after endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps].

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of glucocorticoid sinus stents implanted 2 weeks after functional endoscopic sinus surgery（FESS） for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps（CRSwNP）. Methods:CRSwNP patients with similar bilateral lesions were randomly divided into two groups, with a stent group of 25 patients and a control group of 24 patients. Patients in the stent group had glucocorticoid sinus stents implanted into the bilateral ethmoid sinuses 2 weeks after FESS, while the control group underwent postoperative debridement only. Follow-up assessments occurred at postoperative weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. Patients were asked to assess their sensation of nasal symptoms using a 10-point visual analog scale. Efficacy was assessed by endoscopic evaluations. Sinus obstruction, crusting/coagulation, polyp formation, middle turbinate position, adhesions, mucosa epithelialization, and postoperative intervention were assessed as efficacy outcomes. GraphPad Prism 9 was applied for statistical analysis. Results:At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the stent group showed significant improvement in VAS scores of nasal congestion and runny nose compared with the control group（P<0.05）. No significant difference was observed in the VAS scores of head and facial stuffiness, loss of smell, or nasal dryness/crusting between the two groups（P>0.05）. Compared with the control group, the stent group had a lower rate of polypoid formation at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively. At postoperative week 12, the rate of mucosal epithelialization in the ethmoid cavity was significantly higher in the stent group. During the follow-up, the frequency of postoperative intervention was significantly lower in the stent group than in the control group（P<0.05）. Besides, a lower incidence of middle turbinate lateralization was found in the stent group at 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively. At 8 weeks postoperatively, the stent group had a percentage of adhesion lower than that of the control group（all P<0.05）. Conclusion:Implantation of glucocorticoid sinus stents after FESS can maintain sinus cavity patency, improve the inflammatory status of the operative cavity, reduce postoperative interventions, and promote benign regression of the operative cavity.