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Evaluation of maxillary sinus aspiration in patients with fever of unknown origin
Author(s) -
Lebeda Mark D.,
Haller Jeffrey R.,
Graham Scott M.,
Hoffman Henry T.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199507000-00003
Subject(s) - medicine , sinusitis , sinus (botany) , maxillary sinus , radiography , context (archaeology) , disease , paranasal sinus diseases , surgery , paleontology , botany , biology , genus
The value of diagnostic maxillary sinus aspiration in patients with abnormal findings on sinus radiographs and fever of unknown origin is unclear. To better define indications for this procedure, the results of 51 sinus aspirations in 34 patients with fevers of unknown origin and abnormal findings on sinus radiographs were analyzed retrospectively. Results of aerobic and anaerobic cultures were evaluated in the context of clinical signs and symptoms at the time of the maxillary sinus puncture. Typical symptoms of paranasal sinus disease were found to be the best predictor of a positive culture. Of patients with sinusitis complaints, 86.4% had culture‐positive aspirations, whereas only 8.3% of patients without clinical symptoms of sinusitis had culture‐positive aspirations. This study indicates that symptoms of sinus disease play an important role in determining the benefit of sinus aspiration in this group of patients.