Emina Ramku, Adem Limani, Qazim.Hysenaj, Refik Ramku and Valbona Zhjeqi
Aim: The paranasal sinuses are a common site of infection in children and adolescents and are associated with frequent morbidity. Rarely, life-threatening complications occur. The aim of this study was to investigate cases of sinus complications in children treated over the last nine years at the University Clinical Center, ENT Clinic, in Pristina, Kosovo. Methods: The total number of sinus complication was 56. Based on Chandler’s classification, the most frequent was group I, with palpebral inflammatory edema (27 cases), while the most infrequent was group V, with only one case of septic thrombosis of the cavernous sinus. Children with sinusitis with complications had markedly higher CRP levels (median: 10.05 mg/dL) and ESRs (median: 67 mm/h) than those with uncomplicated sinusitis (median CRP: 0.8 mg/dL; median ESR: 7 mm/h). Results: Six children underwent sinus surgery and 50 were treated with medications (p<0.01); there were 21 females and 35 males among the study subjects (p>0.05). Three of the children had more than one sinus infection (p>0.05). Of the 56 cases with sinus complications, 9.3% had nasal polyposis. Conclusions: Sinus complication surgery in children is decreasing in Kosovo not only because of treatment with aggressive antibiotic therapy, but also because of primary surgical interventions such as septoplasty, adenoidectomy and nasal polypectomy.