Functional endoscopic sinus surgery. A critical long-term evaluation.
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) has been hailed as a breakthrough in the surgical management of chronic recurring sinusitis. A study was conducted and the results scrutinised to determine the validity of this claim. A long-term evaluation of patients who had undergone FESS was conducted in order to determine the most common pre-operative symptoms and signs, intra-operative findings and postoperative progress. These details were analysed by computer to identify common factors in the small percentage of patients who present with persistent recurring sinusitis after FESS. Suggestions that will minimise the risk of failure are presented.