Revision Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Primary ESS provides effective relief and a good of symptoms in the majority of the patients (21). However, several studies have highlighted that a percentage of patients remain uncontrolled in the post-operative phase despite optimal medical care and good compliance with local treatment (14, 21, 32, 33). In case of persistent uncontrolled CRSwNP, physicians need to explore the varying reasons for relapse or persistence which may be related to such factors as diagnosis, treatment, patient and surgery performed, before considering the next step of care for CRSwNP (34). The goals of revision ESS should be carefully determined and may include the removal of obstructing polyps, addressing any residual anatomical issues that may contribute to recurrence such as scar tissue or insufficiently opened sinuses or the presence of complications such as mucocele formation. In the shared decision-making process, clinicians and patients must consider symptomatology, goals of the revision surgery, impact of the surgery on the patient ( including the potential for an increased risk of intra-operative complications), post operative compliance to anti-inflammatory treatment and the chronicity of the disease (18, 35).
Revision ESS can be more challenging than the primary surgery due to scarring and altered anatomy from previous procedures (36) resulting in a higher risk of complications (37). The surgeon must carefully assess the extent of inflammation, the presence of fibrosis and chronic osteitis and the potential impact on adjacent structures and include the higher complication risk in the decision process. This in turn may lead to a longer recovery period and higher indirect costs due to sick leave (25 , 31, 38).