手术治疗慢性鼻窦炎对控制支气管哮喘发作疗效的初步观察

目的探讨慢性鼻窦炎合并支气管哮喘患者在手术治疗慢性鼻窦炎后支气管哮喘的发作情况。方法选取2001～2007年我院收治的慢性鼻窦炎且合并支气管哮喘的手术患者40例行鼻内镜下手术,术后平均随访(5.4±2.0)年,观察鼻窦炎术后哮喘发作情况。结果术后1年随访结果显示,支气管哮喘治愈6例(15.0%),好转18例(45.0%);术后3年随访结果显示,支气管哮喘治愈18例(45.0%),好转14例(35.0%)。结论多数慢性鼻窦炎合并支气管哮喘患者经鼻内镜手术治疗后支气管哮喘症状明显改善,部分患者甚至可以治愈。     

Olfactory function and nasal nitric oxide.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between nasal nitric oxide (nNO) concentration and its influence on olfactory function. SETTING: Tertiary otolaryngology care centre. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis and 20 healthy subjects participated. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. OUTCOME MEASURES: The nNO concentration was measured by chemiluminescence and olfactory thresholds were measured with the phenyl ethanol threshold of the Sniffin' Sticks. In chronic rhinosinusitis patients this measure was done preoperatively and 3 months after endoscopic sinus surgery. RESULTS: Healthy subjects had significantly higher nNO concentrations and better olfactory thresholds compared to the chronic rhinosinusitis patients, both before and after those had undergone sinus surgery. Olfactory thresholds and nNO concentrations remained unchanged after surgery in the chronic rhinosinusitis group. In the chronic rhinosinusitis group, nNO concentrations correlated positively with the olfactory threshold preoperatively (P < 0.0001) and 3 months after surgery (P < 0.05). In the control group, nNO production did not correlate with the olfactory thresholds (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Olfactory function and nNO concentration correlate in chronic rhinosinusitis patients but not in healthy subjects. This suggests that both parameters do rather not directly influence each other but it might be the inflammatory processes found in chronic rhinosinusitis that affects olfaction and nNO. Nasal nitric oxide produced by the paranasal sinuses seems not to directly influence olfactory function.     

Sleep quality assessment in chronic rhinosinusitis patients submitted to endoscopic sinus surgery: a meta-analysis

IntroductionChronic rhinosinusitis can lead to poor sleep quality in affected individuals. Endoscopic nasal surgery has been indicated for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, resulting in improved quality of life, but it is still unknown if there is a similar improvement in sleep quality after the surgical procedure.ObjectiveTo estimate the sleep quality of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis after undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery.MethodsThe literature search was conducted in the indexed databases PubMed, Embase, Lilacs, SciELO, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, Database of Thesis and Dissertations of CAPES, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials and in the grey literature. It included studies that reported the sleep quality of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis after undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery based on questionnaires assessing quality of life. Two researchers independently conducted the study selection and extraction. The random effects model was chosen to conduct the meta-analysis that was performed using the statistical package STATA, version 11.ResultsOverall, 4 studies and 509 subjects were included in the systematic review. Improved sleep quality was observed in 90% of the patients. There was an improvement (on average, from 57% to 67%) in each of the five symptoms related to sleep quality. The results of the meta-analysis revealed high heterogeneity.ConclusionsThis review shows that a large percentage of patients report improved sleep quality after endoscopic sinus surgery.     

Assessment of quality of life after endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a disease of undefined etiology that significantly impacts the quality of life of its patients. Various studies carried out in countries other than Brazil have shown endoscopic sinus surgery as an effective means of treating this condition.ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze, with the aid of SNOT-20, the association between endoscopic sinus surgery and disease-specific quality of life of Brazilian patients treated for chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied or not by nasal polyps.Materials and MethodsThis prospective study enrolled patients submitted to endoscopic sinus surgery after drug therapy failed to improve their symptoms. They were assessed based on questionnaire SNOT-20p before and 12 months after surgery. Improvement on total scores and on the five items deemed more important by each patient were assessed. The study also looked into the correlation between preoperative scores and postoperative improvement and if there were any gender-related improvement differences.ResultsForty-three patients aged 44 (19), md (IQR), 65% of whom (26/43) were males. Statistically significant improvement was seen on SNOT-20 and SNOT-20(5+) and a correlation was established between preoperative scores and postoperative improved scores (p<0.001). No gender-related differences were observed in quality of life.ConclusionEndoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis is associated with statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life.     

892例慢性鼻－鼻窦炎患者内镜鼻窦手术围手术期临床分析

目的 探讨内镜鼻窦手术围手术期处理原则及注意事项。方法 分析892例内镜鼻窦手术患者术后随访及手术1年后治疗效果。 结果 根据慢性鼻－鼻窦炎诊断和治疗指南2008年南昌标准,以手术后1年为近期疗效评估时间,采用Lund-Kennedy评分法进行鼻内镜检查量化评估,892例中治愈759例（82.5%）,好转133例（15%）,无效22例（2.5%）,均为慢性鼻－鼻窦炎伴有鼻息肉的患者。手术并发症为眶纸板损伤27例,脑脊液鼻漏11例,术后大出血1例,筛顶损伤6例,多数并发症发生于手术后初期。 结论 认真的围手术期治疗、建立术后严格的鼻内镜随访换药制度是防止手术并发症、提高手术疗效的关键。     

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis. An objective assessment.

Considerable clinical success has been claimed for functional endoscopic sinus surgery but objective assessment of prospective series is lacking in the literature. Twenty-four patients with chronic rhino-sinusitis underwent assessment of symptoms by visual analogue scoring, nasomucociliary function by ciliary beat frequency, olfaction by qualitative olfactometry and nasal airway resistance by anterior rhinomanometry pre- and post-operatively. This demonstrated a significant improvement in all symptoms examined and in ciliary beat frequency. Quantitative olfaction and anterior rhinomanometry were not improved despite diminished symptoms. These results offer quantitative evidence of clinical improvement following functional endoscopic sinus surgery which supports the pathophysiological concepts on which the technique is based.     

Olfactory function in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis before and after functional endoscopic sinus surgery

BACKGROUND: The olfactory loss in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis has been measured by different methods. However, the results have been variable and it is not clear whether functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) significantly improves olfactory function. This study was performed to evaluate the influences of FESS on olfactory function in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis using three different types of olfactory tests. METHODS: Seventy patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were administered the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), a single staircase phenyl ethyl alcohol odor detection threshold test (STT), and a short-term odor memory/discrimination test a day before and 6 months after FESS. A questionnaire inquiring about the patients' self-perception of olfactory function was administered also. Independent ratings of the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis before FESS were established from CT scans. RESULTS: Fifty-two (74.3%) of the patients reported that their olfactory function was impaired before surgery, and 68.6% of the patients reported impaired olfactory function after surgery, a difference that was not significant. No meaningful changes in any of the olfactory test scores were noted 6 or more months after FESS. Preoperatively, small correlations between CT scores and the symptom scores (r = 0.278; p = 0.024), threshold scores (r = -0.27; p = 0.031), and UPSIT scores (r = -0.36; p = 0.003) were observed. CONCLUSION: In patients with severe rhinosinusitis, FESS had little impact on the ability to smell, regardless of the method for assessing smell function. Subtle associations between olfactory function and the severity of chronic rhinosinusitis determined by CT were observed, however, preoperatively. The olfactory test measures were correlated with one another both pre- and postoperatively.     

慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者症状学特点及内镜鼻窦手术后主要症状的转归

目的：探讨慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者的症状学特点及内镜鼻窦手术前后患者主观症状的变化。方法：采用视觉模拟量表对119例慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者（52例不伴鼻息肉和67例伴鼻息肉）的鼻塞、头昏（头痛）、面部疼痛（胀满感）、嗅觉障碍和鼻分泌物（后鼻漏）5个主要症状进行评分,比较内镜鼻窦手术前和手术后12个月评分的变化。结果：伴和不伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者出现最多的症状均依次为鼻塞、鼻分泌物（后鼻漏）、头昏（头痛）、面部疼痛（胀满感）和嗅觉障碍。不伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者较伴鼻息肉者鼻分泌物评分显著增高（P〈0．01）,但嗅觉障碍评分者显著降低（P〈0．01）。在最令人困扰的症状方面,不伴鼻息肉和伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者分别是鼻分泌物（后鼻漏）和嗅觉障碍。术后伴鼻息肉和不伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者各个症状出现的频率和评分均较术前显著降低（P〈0．01）。结论：伴鼻息肉和不伴鼻息肉的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎患者症状学具有不同的特点,内镜鼻窦手术可以显著改善患者的主观症状,视觉模拟量表评估患者的主观症状是一简便、易于开展的慢性鼻-鼻窦炎疗效主观评估方法。     

Medical management in functional endoscopic sinus surgery failures

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery has a high rate of success, ranging from 75 to 95% improvement in symptoms for patients who have medically refractory chronic rhinosinusitis. However, symptom improvement does not necessarily correlate with disease resolution, and even asymptomatic patients may require long-term medical management and endoscopic surveillance if late recurrence is to be avoided. The 5 to 25% percent of patients who continue to have symptoms create a challenge for the rhinologist. Correct diagnosis is the hallmark of successful treatment of this recidivistic population, carried out through history, nasal endoscopy, and radiologic (computed tomography) studies. Particularly in patients with a primary complaint of headache or facial pain, the initial preoperative diagnosis should also be revisited, particularly before further surgical intervention is considered. Once a proper diagnosis is made, management is multifaceted, including topical and systemic medications, and mechanical improvements in the sinus drainage pathways, either through treatments in the office or revision surgery. Therefore, we strongly recommend that chronic rhinosinusitis be viewed as a medical disease in which surgery plays a therapeutic role. Frequently, persistent inflammation slowly settles down over time with appropriate medical management.     

Selective irrigation of the sinuses in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis refractory to medical therapy: a promising start

BACKGROUND: Although endoscopic sinus surgery has been widely used for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, some patients fail to derive clinical benefit from this procedure. We evaluated the efficacy of a treatment regimen consisting of selective irrigation of diseased sinus mucosa with topical antibiotics and steroids in conjunction with oral antibiotics and steroids. METHODS: Twenty patients suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis and resistant to medical treatment (mean duration 3.4 years) underwent intubations of the affected maxillary and/or ethmoid sinuses for irrigation for a duration of 21 to 30 days. A computed tomographic (CT) scan of the paranasal sinus was taken both pre- and post-treatment and staged according to the Lund-MacKay system. Clinical symptoms were scored for rhinorrhea, facial pain, nasal congestion, and smell at least 2 months prior to treatment and approximately 18 months after the follow-up. RESULTS: The clinical experience with the technique of intubation and irrigation was well tolerated by all patients. We found an improvement in all symptom scores, including rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, smell (n = 20; p < .001), and facial pain (n = 20; p < .01). Similar improvements were seen on the CT scans, with reduced staging from 14.6 +/- 1.1 to 5.6 +/- 1.1 (p < .001). Only three patients did not respond to selective irrigation of the sinuses and needed further surgery. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that sinus irrigation could provide a reasonable and effective alternative to ethmoidectomy with drainage procedures and offer promise for the treatment of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who are resistant to medical treatment.     

Impaired sense of smell in patients with nasal surgery

The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of olfactory disorders before and following nasal and paranasal sinus surgery. It was a prospective observational study. Over a 6-month period, all patients who had been listed for nasal and paranasal sinus surgery underwent preoperative and postoperative evaluation of their sense of smell. A questionnaire and the 'Smell Diskettes Test' were used to assess olfaction. One hundred and eighty-four patients were studied. Preoperatively, 19 patients (10.3%) had an impaired sense of smell (8.1% before septoplasty, 6.1% before rhinoplasty and 17.1% before endoscopic sinus surgery). Only 16 (84%) of these patients were aware of their impaired sense of smell. Following surgery, four patients (2.5%) who were normal preoperatively developed impaired olfaction on questioning, and this was supported by testing it. In the subgroup that had a septoplasty, no patient developed hyposmia compared to one patient (2.6%) after rhinoplasty and one patient (3%) after endoscopic sinus surgery. No patient developed anosmia. Preoperatively, 10.3% of patients had an altered sense of smell, making it desirable that this is documented in order to avoid postoperative claims that this was caused by surgery. It also helps to audit the results of surgery.     

A prospective study of olfaction following endoscopic sinus surgery with adjuvant medical treatment

Few studies on the outcome of endoscopic sinus surgery have assessed the effect of this treatment on the sense of smell. We have collected data prospectively on 115 patients, before and 6 weeks after surgery. All patients had bilateral chronic rhinosinusitis. Visual analogue and a 4-grade, patient-rated symptom score related to olfaction was collected. Patients were also asked after surgery whether their sense of smell was normal, better, a little better, the same, a little worse or worse. Paired phenylethyl methyl ethyl carbinol olfactory detection thresholds were determined for 102 of the patients. All parameters showed a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.001). Acoustic rhinometry was performed pre- and postoperatively in 96 patients. The improvement in all olfactory symptom scores was found to correlate with the increase in nasal volume (Spearman rank correlation: visual analogue score, P < 0.005; 4-grade scale, P = 0.03; ‘better, same, worse’ scale, P = 0.001).     

Olfactory changes after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis

Objective

To address the controversy over whether olfactory function is improved or not after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in patients with eosinophilic (ECRS) and non-eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (non-ECRS).

Methods

Between June 2006 and March 2012, 89 adult patients with CRS underwent ESS at Hyogo College of Medicine. There were 55 men and 34 women with a mean age of 53 years old, ranging from 23 to 79 years. The average follow-up period was 10.7 months (3–24) after ESS. Peripheral blood examination, sinonasal CT imaging, and four kinds of olfaction tests [self-administered olfaction test (SAOQ), visual analog scale (VAS), T&T recognition threshold tests (T&T) and intravenous olfaction test using prosultiamine] were performed. We diagnosed ECRS when (i) symptoms of nasal congestion and olfactory disorder, (ii) bilateral chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNPs), (iii) peripheral blood eosinophilia (>7.0%), and (iv) ethmoid sinus dominant opacification in preoperative CT findings (i.e. ethmoid sinuses (E) were more bilaterally occupied than those of maxillary sinuses (M), E/M ≥ 1), were completely fulfilled. We divided the patients into two groups of ECRS (group A) and non-ECRS (group B). Olfaction tests before operation, and at the 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 24th month postoperation were analyzed. The severity and therapeutic evaluation of olfaction were based on criteria of T&T recognition thresholds.

Results

The mean SAOQ and VAS scores showed significant improvement within 6 months after ESS in both group A and group B. In total, the improvement rates were 52.0% (26/50) at 3 months, 58.5% (24/41) at 6 months, 40.5% (15/37) at 12 months, and 41.2% (7/17) at 24 months. The significant improvement of T&T recognition thresholds in group B was maintained for 24 months, whereas those in group A, showing transient improvement, deteriorated after 12 months or more. A significant difference in postoperative T&T recognition between groups A and B was found at the 12th postoperative month. In both A and B, 84% of patients had a response to prosultiamine (positive group) in the preoperative stage. T&T thresholds in the positive group were significantly better that those in the negative groups in the postoperative stage.

Conclusion

Olfactory disorders due to ECRS showed transient improvement that deteriorated as time passed after surgery. The olfaction in the non-ECRS patients recovered comparatively well. Postoperative olfactory results were unfavorable in patients without a preoperative reaction to prosultiamine.     

鼻内镜术后不同填塞材料对术后黏膜转归的影响

目的 探讨鼻内镜手术后,鼻腔不同填塞材料对慢性鼻窦炎患者鼻窦术腔黏膜转归的影响。 方法 对入选的167例鼻窦炎患者按填塞材料的不同分为纳吸棉组(A组,n=93)和膨胀海绵组(B组,n=74)。两组患者均执行同样的入院前治疗,由同一高年资医师手术,并给予相同的术后用药及复查换药周期安排,通过比较视觉模拟评分法(VAS)、术前Lund-Mackay鼻窦CT评分、术后鼻内镜Lund-Kennedy评分,比较两组术后鼻窦术腔黏膜恢复情况。 结果 A、B组间术前Lund-Mackay、VAS和Lund-Kennedy分值差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05);两组Lund-Kennedy术后评分差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),且各时间点A组分值低于B组(P<0.01);两组VAS术后不同时间点评分组间差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01),术后4周及12周均显示A组评分低于B组,A组症状后期改善更佳。A组5例、B组7例12周时术腔局部水肿明显,囊泡增生,组织重塑不良,有息肉复发迹象,结合术后病理,给予个体化治疗方案等处理后,黏膜修复明显改善。 结论 鼻内镜术后纳吸棉填塞可促进术腔黏膜良性转归过程。     

Endoscopic sinus surgery in chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis: a comparative study

Nasal polyposis are common presentations in patients of chronic rhinosinusitis and are considered to be associated with more severe forms of disease with poor treatment outcome. The presentation and treatment outcome after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients of chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis have been analysed in this study. A prospective analysis of 90 patients of chronic rhinosinusitis who were classified into two groups depending on presence and absence of nasal polyps was performed in the study. The two groups were evaluated using subjective (patient complaints) and objective (computed tomography scan and endoscopy scores) criteria. Preoperative data were compared with data obtained 12?months post endoscopic sinus surgery. The study included 38 patients of chronic rhinosinusitis and 52 patients of nasal polyps. The patients of nasal polyp group presented with increased severity of symptoms of nasal blockage, nasal discharge and reduced sense of smell as compared to the chronic rhinosinusitis group who had significantly higher presentation of headache and facial pain. The preoperative CT scan revealed significantly higher bilateral disease with increased involvement of multiple sinuses in nasal polyp group. Post endoscopic sinus surgery both the groups showed significant improvement in their symptoms with the nasal polyp group demonstrating reduction in improvement on 1?year follow up. In our study we have found the patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyp have varied severity of symptoms with the nasal polyp group having higher nasal symptoms and increased severity as compared to chronic rhinosinusitis group. Though the universal rationale of management by adequate drainage and ventilation of sinus is similar in both groups, there is a reduction in both objective and subjective scores during 1?year follow up in the nasal polyp group.     

Long-term effects of postoperative measures after sinus surgery

To compare the long-term effects of different postoperative treatment regimes after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), we performed a randomized controlled trial. Inclusion criteria were chronic rhinosinusitis with (CRSwNP) or without (CRS-NP) bilateral nasal polyps and acute recurrent rhinosinusitis (ARR). All patients (male/female = 56/65; mean age = 42.8 years; age range 18–73 years) underwent sinus surgery for the first time. The patients included in 2004 were allocated to a packing in middle meatus for 5 days or saline irrigation only postoperatively. The patients included in 2005 were randomized to debridement 6 and 12 days postoperatively or saline irrigation. At baseline and 56 weeks (32–77) postoperatively, the patients reported symptoms such as nasal congestion, facial pain, headache, and change in sense of smell, nasal discharge, sneezing and reduced general condition on visual analogue scale (VAS). We used ANCOVA to compare symptom improvement. Among patients with CRSwNP, nasal congestion and sneezing improved, respectively, 20 mm (P value = 0.041) and 18 mm (P value = 0.011) more in the debridement group than in the saline irrigation group. Although a packing had positive effects on the symptom improvement they were not significant. Patients with CRSwNP, who had undergone debridement after FESS, had significantly larger symptom improvement 56 weeks after surgery than patients who had only done saline irrigation.     

鼻声反射在OSAS患者鼻功能评估中的应用

目的：探讨修正性鼻内镜手术联合中鼻甲切除术综合治疗难治性鼻-鼻窦炎的手术效果及应用价值。方法35例难治性鼻-鼻窦炎经CT检查、鼻内窥镜检查、局部用药等规范术前准备,行改良鼻丘径路额窦开放为主修正手术加中鼻甲全部或部分切除,术后凭鼻内镜保健手册进行定期复查,规范随访。26例合并鼻中隔偏曲者其中16例行内镜下传统矫正切除,10例行局限性矫正切除;15例合并变应性鼻炎者对下鼻甲前端、中鼻甲对应鼻中隔等部位黏膜电凝。结果35例患者门诊内镜随诊3-6月以上,治愈11例（31.4%）,黏膜完全上皮化;好转18例（51.4%）,黏膜可以上皮化,但变应性鼻炎发作时,术腔黏膜水肿,经局部处理及药物治疗后可恢复上皮化;无效6例（17.2%）。总有效率82.8%,6例无效均为合并变应性鼻炎及哮喘患者。结论修正性鼻内镜手术联合中鼻甲切除术综合治疗难治性鼻-鼻窦炎,疗效较为确切,值得临床推广。     

修正性鼻内镜手术联合中鼻甲切除术综合治疗难治性鼻-鼻窦炎

目的探讨修正性鼻内镜手术联合中鼻甲切除术综合治疗难治性鼻一鼻窦炎的手术效果及应用价值。方法35例难治性鼻一鼻窦炎经CT检查、鼻内窥镜检查、局部用药等规范术前准备,行改良鼻丘径路额窦开放为主修正手术加中鼻甲全部或部分切除,术后凭鼻内镜保健手册进行定期复查,规范随访。26例合并鼻中隔偏曲者其中16例行内镜下传统矫正切除,10例行局限性矫正切除;15例合并变应性鼻炎者对下鼻甲前端、中鼻甲对应鼻中隔等部位黏膜电凝。结果35例患者门诊内镜随诊3～6月以上,治愈11例（31．4％）,黏膜完全上皮化;好转18例（51．4％）,黏膜可以上皮化,但变应性鼻炎发作时,术腔黏膜水肿,经局部处理及药物治疗后可恢复上皮化;无效6例（17．2％）。总有效率82-8％,6例无效均为合并变应性鼻炎及哮喘患者。结论修正性鼻内镜手术联合中鼻甲切除术综合治疗难治性鼻鼻窦炎,疗效较为确切,值得临床推广。     

Adult chronic rhinosinusitis: surgical outcomes and the role of endoscopic sinus surgery

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the recent literature as to the role of and data supporting endoscopic sinus surgery for the treatment of adult chronic rhinosinusitis. RECENT FINDINGS: Many studies have been published evaluating patient responses to endoscopic sinus surgery. These responses have included subjective measures such as patient-reported symptoms, and subjective symptoms measured objectively, as seen with quality-of-life instruments. Others have used objective measures such as endoscopy scores, medication use and financial impact to measure responses to surgery. These studies have varying follow-up, with patients followed for up to several years postsurgery. The results are very consistent, with most studies reporting improvement in both subjective and objective findings postoperatively. SUMMARY: The data in the literature clearly support the use of functional endoscopic sinus surgery in cases of chronic rhinosinusitis refractory to medical therapy. Surgery has been shown to improve patient symptoms, quality of life and intranasal endoscopic exam.     

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery With Partial Middle Turbinate Resection: Effects on Olfaction

Few studies have investigated the effects of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on olfaction. In particular, the effect of surgical manipulation of the middle turbinate on olfaction has not been established. Using the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) and patient questionnaires, the authors performed a prospective study of olfaction in 64 patients undergoing ESS. Thirty-eight patients (59%) underwent partial middle turbinate resection; in the remaining 26 patients (41%), the middle turbinate was preserved. All patients were reevaluated approximately 8 weeks after surgery by endoscopic examination, questionnaire, and the UPSIT. Patients who underwent no resection had a median decrease in UPSIT score of 1.4, and those who underwent resection had a median decrease of 0.5; this difference was not statistically significant. Further, no correlation was found between changes in UPSIT score and follow-up time, sex of the patient, or the patient's subjective assessment of postoperative olfaction. It is concluded that middle turbinate resection has no effect on olfaction.