Functional endoscopic surgery in children: a retrospective analysis of results.

The impact of chronic sinusitis on children has become more apparent as the awareness of the disease has increased. Consequently, the knowledge of its effect in the pediatric patient has expanded dramatically. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) has become the primary surgical modality for treatment of this illness in children who have not responded to optimal medical management. A retrospective study was conducted in patients from 7 months to 17 years of age who were treated with FESS for chronic sinusitis refractory to medical therapy. Using a comprehensive parental questionnaire and a review of the medical charts, results were analyzed from these post-FESS children. Parents of the children were interviewed with a mean follow-up time of 21.8 months postoperatively. Factors discussed included chronic nasal obstruction, purulent nasal discharge, postnasal drip, chronic cough, halitosis, headaches, behavioral problems, allergies, and asthma symptoms. This preliminary investigation suggests that FESS is effective in treating medically recalcitrant severe chronic sinusitis in children.