Relation of age to outcome after endoscopic sinus surgery in children.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) in children has a better outcome at a certain age. DESIGN AND SETTING Cohort study in a tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS Ninety-nine children who underwent ESS between January 1994 and June 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Determining ESS outcomes was based on answers to a questionnaire mailed to the caregivers at least 1 year after surgery. Outcomes were considered failures if children required revision surgery or if their symptoms were not improved. RESULTS The overall ESS success rate was 82%. Univariate analysis of age and surgery outcome revealed that children older than 6 years had an 89% success rate but that children younger than 6 years had a 73% success rate (P =.04). Of the 99 patients, 11 (9%) required revision surgery. Among them, 9 were younger and 2 were older than 6 years (P =.008). Of the 4 children younger than 3 years, 3 (75%) required revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic sinus surgery in children younger than 3 years was not successful but it was beneficial in children older than 6 years. It may be beneficial at any age if a complication from chronic sinusitis occurs; however, for children younger than 6 years, revision surgery may later be necessary.