Long-term outcome of facial growth after functional encloscopic sinus surgery

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether functional endoscopic sinus (FES) surgery performed in children with chronic rhinosinusitis alters facial growth. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a retrospective age-matched cohort outcome study performed at a tertiary care hospital. RESULTS: Sixty-seven children participated. There were 46 boys and 21 girls, and the mean age was 3.1 years at presentation and 13.2 years at followup. There were 46 children who underwent FES surgery and 21 children who did not undergo FES surgery. Quantitative anthropomorphic analysis was performed using 12 standard facial measurements. A facial plastic expert performed qualitative facial analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses showed no statistical significance in facial growth between children who underwent FES surgery and those who did not undergo FES surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, there was no evidence that FES surgery affected facial growth. SIGNIFICANCE: These results will aid physicians when discussing with parents the risks of FES surgery.