Bacteriological study of sphenoid sinusitis.

The significance of radiologic sphenoid sinusitis in critically ill patients is unclear and only a bacteriological study can answer this question. Objectives - We aimed to assess bacteriological data of sphenoid sinusitis after endoscopic sampling. Patients and methods - It was a prospective study of 30 patients in an intensive care unit. CTscan was used for the diagnosis of sinusitis and all the involved sinuses were punctured, using endoscopy in order to obtain a sample for bacteriological study. Results - Radiologic aspects of sphenoid sinusitis were frequent (86% of the patients) but infection of the sinus was uncommon (8.1%). The infectious agents were bacteria usually found in intensive care units. Bacteriological findings in the maxillary sinus were the same in cases of association with a maxillary sinusitis. It was most frequent to find an infection in this sinus, Conclusion - The endoscopic puncture of the sphenoid sinus is not very productive in case of associated maxillary sinusitis in the intensive care unit. It can be helpful when the sphenoid sinusitis is involved alone among associated signs. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.