ABSTRACT Objectives Xylitol, a low‐permeability sugar alcohol, is recommended for treating chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) due to its ability to decrease liquid salt concentration at the airway surface. This study investigated the efficacy of xylitol nasal irrigation for the management of CRS and its postoperative care. Methods We analysed 7 studies with 263 participants after reviewing the studies that were retrieved from PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases up to December 2024. Those comparing changes in endoscopic score, Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE), olfactory dysfunction, and CRS‐related visual analogue scale from baseline to post‐treatment between xylitol and normal saline nasal irrigation groups were analysed. Results Nasal irrigation with xylitol significantly improved sinonasal well‐being in CRS patients compared to irrigation with saline (SMD 0.6253, 95% CI [0.0067; 1.2438]; I 2 = 0.0%). Patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery showed substantial SNOT improvement (SMD 3.1284, 95% CI [0.5229; 5.7338]; I 2 = 86.1%), while no significant changes were observed in non‐ESS patients (SMD 0.2571, 95% CI [−0.4872; 1.0014]). The xylitol group also showed significant improvements in NOSE (SMD 0.5976, 95% CI [0.2297; 0.9656]; I 2 = 49.3%) and SNOT scores (SMD 0.3608, 95% CI [0.0724; 0.6493]; I 2 = 49.1%). However, there were no significant changes in endoscopic scoring (SMD 0.1309, 95% CI [−0.1777; 0.4396]; I 2 = 0.0%), olfaction (SMD −0.0292, 95% CI [−0.3633; 0.3050]; I 2 = 0.0%), or saccharine clearance time (SMD 0.3816, 95% CI [−0.3816; 1.1449]; I 2 = 61.6%). Xylitol irrigation was well tolerated, with minimal, transient side effects and no significant adverse events. Conclusion Nasal irrigation with xylitol significantly improves the subjective management of CRS and postoperative care compared to saline irrigation but does not alter objective outcomes.
Efficacy of the Exhalation Delivery System With Fluticasone for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Objectives: Novel biomechanics of the exhalation delivery system can deliver fluticasone (EDS-FLU; XHANCE) to sinonasal areas above the inferior turbinate, especially sinus drainage pathways not reached by standard nasal sprays. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of EDS-FLU in treating chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods: Studies were retrieved from PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases up to April 2024. We analyzed 5 studies that compared EDS-FLU with a control group (exhalation delivery system with placebo) on various outcomes, including the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), nasal symptom scores (congestion, facial pain, olfactory dysfunction, and rhinorrhea), nasal polyp scores, surgical indication rate, and the incidence of adverse effects. Results: Five studies with 2129 patients were included. EDS-FLU significantly improved SNOT-22 score (−20.9657 [−23.5639; −18.3674]) and the polyp score (−1.5099 [−1.7810; −1.2388]) after 6 months. The incidence of epistaxis was significantly higher in the treatment group compared to the control group (OR = 5.7954 [2.1004; 15.9909]). Effects of EDS-FLU on polyp score (−0.6497 [−0.8186; −0.4807]), responder rate (OR = 2.1755 [1.2784; 3.7020]), complete responder rate (OR = 2.0423 [1.0109; 4.1262]), surgical indication rate (OR = 0.7313 [0.5459; 0.9797]), and SNOT-22 score (−6.1513 [−11.3054; −0.9972]) were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that EDS-FLU (372 µg twice daily) produced statistically significant improvements compared to EDS-placebo in multiple subjective and objective outcomes, although some adverse effects, such as epistaxis, may occur.
Safety and Efficacy of Transoral Robotic Thyroidectomy for Thyroid Tumor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Background: To assess the safety and effectiveness of transoral robotic thyroidectomy (TORT) in thyroid tumor. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS, Cochrane database, and Google Scholar up to June 2022. Studies comparing outcomes and complications between TORT and control groups (robotic bilateral axillo-breast, trans-axillary, postauricular approach, conventional open thyroidectomy (OT), and transoral endoscopic approach) were analyzed. Results: Ten studies of 1420 individuals. The operative time (SMD 1.15, 95%CI [0.48; 1.89]) was significantly longer and the number of retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) (SMD −0.27, 95%CI [−0.39; −0.16]) was fewer in TORT than in the control group. The postoperative cosmetic satisfaction score (SMD 0.60, 95%CI [0.28; 0.92]) was statistically higher in TORT than in the control group. In subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference between robotic surgeries. However, TORT had significantly longer operative times (SMD 2.08, 95%CI [0.95; 3.20]) and fewer retrieved LNs (SMD −0.32, 95%CI [−0.46; −0.17]) than OT. TORT satisfied significantly more patients in cosmetic view. However, it increased hospitalization days and postoperative pain on the operation day and first day compared to OT. Conclusions: TORT is not inferior to other robotic-assisted approaches. Its operation time and hospitalization days are longer and postoperative pain is greater than OT, although its cosmetic satisfaction is high.