Patient satisfaction and treatment outcome of fungus ball rhinosinusitis treated by functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Fungal rhinosinusitis is an important clinical problem with diverse manifestations. Although many literatures had found low recurrence rate after surgical treatment of fungus ball rhinosinusitis, patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes (symptom-free and symptom improvement rate, etc.) for fungus ball sinusitis are not yet well established. The purpose of this study is to estimate the patient satisfaction and treatment outcome in patients with fungus ball rhinosinusitis undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Medical records of consecutive patients with diagnosed fungus ball rhinosinusitis treated by FESS between 1995 and 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. The post-operative improvement in individual symptom was assessed by chart review and telephone visiting. Ninety consecutive patients (21 men and 69 women) were eligible for the study. Six patients (7%) presented bilateral fungus ball rhinosinusitis. Multiple paranasal sinus fungus ball involvements were found in 48 patients (53%). Complete resolution of complaints with respect to nasal discharge, postnasal drip, cough with sputum, nasal bleeding, fetid odor of nose, olfactory dysfunction, nasal obstruction, headache, and facial pain or pressure were described in 74 patients (82%). The overall patient satisfaction rate was 96%. The estimated recurrence rate of fungus ball rhinosinusitis treated with FESS was 3%, with a mean follow-up of 81 months. Treatment protocol of fungus ball rhinosinusitis with FESS and without postoperative antifungal drugs is efficient because of very low recurrence rate, high patient satisfaction, and very high symptom-free rate. Furthermore, the obvious difference of symptom-free rate between fungus ball rhinosinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis highlights the need of further studies to discover the pathophysiology of fungal sinusitis.