Abstract
Objective: Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis resistant to systemic treatment have as an alternative endoscopic nasal surgery. The Relieva Stratus system has allowed local treatment in paranasal cavities, avoiding an aggressive surgery and high corticoesteroids systemic treatment. We describe our experience with the system in the first six patients.
Method: Four patients suffering ethmoid and 2 with frontal chronic rhinosinusitis have been included. The Stratus catheter was implanted endoscopically under general anesthesia in combination with balloon sinuplasty technique for either the maxillary or the frontal sinus. Triamcinolone was used for local delivery. Stratus was removed in office 4 week later.
Results: Stratus Relieva was implanted in patients with chronic inflammation of the ethmoid or frontal sinus. No major complications were observed. Four catheters were implanted in the ethmoid bulla and 2 in the frontal sinus. They were removed in office under local anesthesia. Intraoperaory bleeding was minimal. Patients described no foreign object sensation after surgery. We observed good evolution in all patients but one, in which Stratus Relieva was performed. This patient persisted with chronic inflammation of the maxillary and ethmoid sinus and functional endoscopy surgery was performed as alternative for definitive treatment.
Conclusion: Results with this device are promising although longer observation period is needed. It is possible that the patient that did not show an improvement of disease may have not been an adequate candidate for this surgery. Therefore, we consider that appropriate selection of patients is necessary for a good outcome.
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