Safety of paranasal sinus surgery in patients with cystic fibrosis

Objective: Document the safety of paranasal sinus surgery in cystic fibrosis patients and review the changing trends in paranasal sinus surgery in the cystic fibrosis population. Study Design: Retrospective review. Materials and Methods: Chart review of cystic fibrosis patients who underwent paranasal sinus surgery from 1955 to 1997. Results: Indications for surgery included chronic sinusitis, nasal obstruction, purulent rhinorrhea, head pain, and pyocele. Average duration of anesthesia was 2.1 hours. The complication rate from general anesthesia was zero. Excessive bleeding and significant hypoxia did not occur. Conclusions: Paranasal sinus surgery and general anesthesia can be safely performed in cystic fibrosis patients. The indications for paranasal sinus surgery are changing from symptomatic nasal obstruction to pre-lung transplantation care. Today, treatment has evolved to include placement of sinus catheters for direct topical instillation of antibiotics and consideration of maxillary and frontal sinus obliteration.