Impact of Patient Guidance Handouts on Outcomes of FESS.

Post-operative care in FESS is an important aspect. Nasal saline irrigation and Nasal steroid spray are highly recommended worldwide in post-operative protocol after endoscopic sinus surgery. Hence patients compliance for both these procedures becomes a deciding factor for outcomes following FESS and there is not much evidence in literature regarding the same. The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of giving patients pictorial handouts regarding nasal saline irrigations and various positions of using nasal steroid spray in improving outcomes of FESS. It was a randomised control study.46post operative patients of FESS were randomised into two groups. Group A patients were verbally explained and practically demonstrated the technique of nasal saline irrigation and nasal steroid spray in the language best understood and by showing them the relevant images. Group B patients were also verbally explained as well as practically demonstrated the above mentioned procedure but were also given pictorial handouts (depicting in detail the positions of nasal saline irrigation and steroid spray} which were explained and handed over to them at the time of discharge. The patients were evaluated a 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th post-operative week for compliance of both the procedures and its effect on post-operative cavity. In the present study there were 21 females versus 25 males. The average male: female ratio in group A was 1.3 versus 1 in group B. The mean age was 35.5652 ± 4.595 in group B versus 33.1739 ± 4.438 in group A. The average compliance over three weeks was 2.5765 ± 0.207 in Group B as compared to 1.4935 ± 0.27 in Group A. The t score for the difference in compliance between two groups was 15.2691. The two-tailed P value was less than 0.0001. The average Lund and Kennedy endoscopic appearance score for crusting was 1.75 ± 0.532, 1.217 ± 0.6, 0.696 ± 0.703 for Group A in post-operative follow up during week 1, 2 and 3 respectively as compared to 1.45 ± 0.59, 0.304 ± 0.47, 0.826 ± 0.49 for Group B. The P value was < 0.05 for the difference in both groups for all three weeks. The average Lund and Kennedy score for edema and other parameters has been enumerated in Table 1. 11/23 followed correct method for nasal saline irrigation in Group A as compared to 20/23 in Group B. 18/23 used nasal steroidal spray in all positions compared to only 9/23 in Group A. 3/23 in group B had polypoidal mucosa at frontal recess area at 1 month post-operative as compared to 16/23. Overall their was a negative correlation between the compliance of nasal saline irrigation with edema, crusting and discharge. The respective R score was -0.5311, -0.25296 and -0.19889 respectively. The pictorial handouts definitely improved compliance and hence outcomes in our study. We recommend this practice in routine to all our fellow rhinologists. © Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2020.