Symptom assessment after nasal irrigation with xylitol in the postoperative period of endonasal endoscopic surgery

INTRODUCTION: Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory condition of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses that requires multifactorial treatment. Xylitol can be employed with nasal irrigation and can provide better control of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between the effects of nasal lavage with saline solution compared to nasal lavage with a xylitol solution. METHODS: Fifty-two patients, divided into two groups (n = 26 in the “Xylitol” group and n = 26 in the “Saline solution” group) answered questionnaires validated in Portuguese (NOSE and SNOT-22) about their nasal symptoms and general symptoms, before and after endonasal endoscopic surgery and after a period of 30 days of nasal irrigation. RESULTS: The “Xylitol” group showed significant improvement in pain relief and nasal symptom reduction after surgery and nasal irrigation with xylitol solution (p < 0.001). The “Saline solution” group also showed symptom improvement, but on a smaller scale. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the xylitol solution can be useful in the postoperative period after endonasal endoscopic surgery, because it leads to a greater reduction in nasal symptoms.