Role of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) in the Management of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Abstract

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a persistent inflammatory condition of the nasal and sinus mucosa, affecting over 10% of adults in Europe and the USA. Treatment primarily focuses on symptom management and improving quality of life, with initial approaches including saline irrigations, intranasal corticosteroids, and short-term antibiotics when necessary. When medical therapy fails, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is considered. This minimally invasive procedure has been shown to effectively alleviate symptoms and enhance the quality of life in CRS patients, as demonstrated by various studies. Aim This study aims to gather and analyze the current knowledge on chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), with a specific focus on the surgical treatment known as Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) and its effectiveness in improving patient outcomes. By reviewing existing literature and clinical studies, this article seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of how FESS impacts the quality of life in CRS patients, the factors influencing its success, and the associated risks and complications.  Methods The study contains data available in freely accessible databases like PubMed, the National Library of Medicine and Google Scholar. The databases were searched using the keywords such as chronic rhinosinusitis, CRS, functional endoscopic sinus surgery, FESS.