Stent Hypersensitivity and Infection in Sinus Cavities

Persistent mucosal inflammation, granulation tissue formation, hypersensitivity, and multifactorial infection are newly described complications of retained drug-eluting stents from endoscopic sinus surgery for refractory rhinosinusitis. In an important report published in Allergy and Rhinology, a 45-year-old male patient suffering from recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery and was found, for the first time, to have steroid-eluting catheters that were inadvertently left in the ethmoid and frontal sinuses. The retained catheters had caused persistent mucosal inflammation and formation of granulation tissue denoting hypersensitivity reaction. These consequences had induced perpetuation of symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis. Meticulous removal of the retained stents with the nitinol wings from inflamed tissues of the frontal, ethmoidal, and sphenoethmoidal recesses in which they were completely imbedded was successfully performed without polypoid regrowth. Cultures of specimens taken from both left and right stents showed heavy growth of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and moderate growth of Klebsiella oxytoca, coagulase negative Staphylococcus, and beta-hemolytic Streptococcus anginosus. Fungal infection was not detected. The current knowledge and experience regarding stent hypersensitivity and infection in relation with the use of stents in sinus cavities is reviewed.