The role of maxillary sinus puncture on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hospital-acquired rhinosinusitis

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most commom causes of fever of unknown origin in critically ill patients and should be systematically searched.Objective: This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic effect of maxillary sinus puncture performed at the bedside in patients with infective rhinosinusitis hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit of a high complexity care hospital.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study looks into patients on mechanical ventilation with fever of unknown origin and signs of rhinosinusitis on CT images who were submitted to inferior meatus maxillary sinus puncture.Results: The total study sample consisted of 27 patients (70.3% male; mean age 45.3 years). The most common Intensive Care Unit admission diagnoses were head trauma and stroke. CT scans revealed the maxillary (85.2%) and sphenoid (74.1%) sinuses were the most involved paranasal sinuses. Middle meatus purulent drainage was seen in 30.7% of the nasal cavities. Fever was reduced in 70.4% of the patients after puncture (p < 0.001). The most commonly found organisms in sinus aspirates were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii.Conclusion: Maxillary sinus puncture performed at the bedside of the patients is an important diagnostic and theraupetic tool for critically ill patients.