Timing of Surgery and Outcomes in Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Narrative Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Surgery is often indicated in the treatment of medically recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). There is conflicting evidence on the impact of timeliness of sinus surgery on the degree of perceived symptom improvement in CRS. Objective: The goal of this study was to systematically evaluate the available literature on the relationship between patient wait times for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and postoperative changes in patient-reported outcome measures. Methods: Ovid, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews between January 2000 and September 1, 2023, were searched. A total of 931 studies were independently screened by 2 reviewers. Two studies were included in the meta-analysis, while 4 others were included in a narrative review. Results: Two studies consisting of 1606 patients were included in the meta-analysis. A mean difference in 22-Item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) of −0.3 (95% CI = −3.9 to 3.3, I2 = 89%, P