Comparative Analysis of Hypertonic Versus Normal Saline Nasal Douching After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: To comparatively analyze hypertonic versus normal saline nasal douching after endoscopic sinus surgery at a tertiary care hospital.

Materials & Methods: A total of 200 subject were enrolled. The age group was 30 to 60 years who underwent surgery were selected. Post operative evaluation was done. All subjects were given antibiotic-soaked nasal pack for around 48 hrs after surgery. All patients were given the same antibiotic in the post-operative period till 10 days and then evaluated on 10th and 20th postoperative day. 200 patients were divided into 2 groups as 100 patients each. Group I patients used hypertonic saline for douching while group II patients used isotonic saline for nasal douching. The appearance of nasal mucosa was listed as either normal and edematous. Crusting was described as nil, mild or severe in nature.

Results: On 10th post operative day, there were no patients with normal mucosa and percentage was similar in both hypertonic as well as normal saline. On 20th day, there were 24% of patients of hypertonic saline and 10% of patients of normal saline with normal mucosa. There were 33% of patients with no crusting with use of hypertonic saline on 20th day. Similarly, there were 22% of individuals who used normal saline on 20th day had no crusting. Severe crusting cases with hypertonic saline were 36% and with normal saline were 41% of patients on 20th day.

Conclusion: Patients who used hypertonic saline for douching in the post-operative period were found to have lesser severe crusting as compared to those who used isotonic saline for douching.