HomeHygieneEffect of Postoperative Xylitol Nasal Irrigation on Patients with Sinonasal Diseases

Effect of Postoperative Xylitol Nasal Irrigation on Patients with Sinonasal Diseases

January 8, 2022

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Mar;160(3):550-555. doi: 10.1177/0194599818802815. Epub 2018 Oct 2.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of xylitol nasal irrigation in a large sample size of patients who had undergone nasal surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Double-blinded randomized controlled crossover study.

SETTING: Tertiary referral center.

METHODS: The study included 100 patients with sinonasal disease who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), septoplasty, or both concurrently. To identify patients with allergic sensitization, serum-specific immunoglobulin E levels were measured. Nasal symptoms were evaluated with the NOSE (Nasal Obstruction Symptoms Evaluation) and SNOT-20 (Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-20) and via visual analog scale (VAS) scores.

RESULTS: In the ESS group (n = 34), the general nasal symptom score evaluated by the SNOT-20 showed significantly greater improvement in the xylitol group versus the saline group ( P = .022). VAS symptom scores for sneezing ( P = .003), headache ( P = .02), and facial pain ( P = .037) were also more improved in the xylitol group. In the septoplasty group (n = 39), the VAS score for nasal stuffiness showed a significantly greater improvement in the xylitol group when compared with the saline irrigation group ( P = .001). Among the patients with allergic sensitization (n = 31), rhinorrhea symptoms improved significantly more in the xylitol group than in the saline group ( P = .024). The preference survey showed that more than half of the patients in each surgical group preferred xylitol irrigation.

CONCLUSION: We found that xylitol nasal irrigation was useful in postoperative ESS and septoplasty care. For patients with allergic sensitization, rhinorrhea showed greater improvement in the xylitol group than in the saline group.

PMID:30274540 | DOI:10.1177/0194599818802815

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About The Author

Patrick Blanchard MD

Meet Dr. Blanchard Dr. Blanchard’s medical practice is an embodiment of Integrative health which brings conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way. Conveniently located in sunny Florida and over the internet with ValiseMD’s secure HIPPA compliant telXmed servers. Since 1994, patients with a wide range of challenging medical problems have achieved optimum health using the best of natural medicine, judiciously combined with high-tech innovations. Breakthroughs are often achieved even after patients have consulted mainstream specialists and holistic practitioners. Dr. Blanchard is founder and CEO of ValiseMD, Inc. He is board certified in Family Medicine since 1994 and awarded Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2001. He received the ‘Teacher of the Year’ award from the University of Kansas School of Medicine at completion of his residency in Family Medicine. He completed a fellowship at Wake Forest University in the field of vascular neurosonology. He holds a medical patent in the field of Gastroenterology. He holds an unrestricted license to practice medicine and surgery in Florida. He started his medical career as a Emergency Medical Technician, then as a Paramedic and later a Medical Doctor.