Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis (ABRS)

Defined by at least three symptoms/signs:

  • Discolored mucus.
  • Severe local pain (often unilateral).
  • Fever > 38°C.
  • Raised CRP/ESR.
  • Double sickening.

Why bacterial infection happen?

  • Obstruction of the various ostia
  • Impairment in ciliary function
  • Increased viscosity of secretions
  • Impaired immunity
  • Mucus accumulates
  • Decrease in oxygenation in the sinuses
  • Bacterial overgrowth

Common Clinical Presentations for ABS

  • Persistent
  • Worsening
  • Symptoms
  • Severe

Physical Findings

  • Mucopurulent nasal discharge: Highest positive predictive value.
  • Swelling of nasal mucosa.
  • Mild erythema.
  • Facial pain (unusual in children).
  • Periorbital swelling.

Objectives of Treatment of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis

  • Decrease time of recovery.
  • Prevent chronic disease.
  • Decrease exacerbations of asthma or other secondary diseases.
  • Do so in a cost-effective way.

Suspected Microbiology of ABS (2013)

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae: 15–20%
  • Haemophilus influenzae: 45–50%
  • Moraxella catarrhalis: 10–15%
  • Streptococcus pyogenes: 5%

Treatment: Antimicrobial Regimens for Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis


Adjunctive Therapy

  • Saline irrigation (physiological, hypertonic saline).
  • Intranasal steroid.
  • Topical/oral decongestants.
    (All the above have weak recommendations.)

When Initial Empiric Antimicrobial Therapy Fails

  • Symptoms worsen after 48-72 hours.
  • Fail to improve after 3-5 days.

Look For…

  • Resistant pathogen.
  • Noninfectious etiology.
  • Structural abnormality.
  • Other causes for failure.

Rhinoscopy Findings

  • Nasal polyps.
  • Septal deviation.
  • Concha bullosa.
  • Eustachian tube dysfunction.
  • Adenoid hyperplasia.
  • Tumors.


Swab Culture

  • Direct sinus aspiration better than nasopharyngeal swab.

Imaging Study

  • Structural abnormality.
  • Suppurative complications.

—Clinicians should obtain a contrast-enhanced CT scan
of the paranasal sinuses and/or an MRI with contrast whenever a child is suspected of having orbital or CNS complications of ABS


Complications of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis

Orbital

  • Periorbital cellulitis.

  • Subperiosteal abscess.

  • Orbital abscess.

  • Optic neuritis.

  • Proptosis: Anterior and lateral displacement of the globe.

  • Impairment of extraocular movements.

  • Loss of visual acuity.

  • Chemosis: Edema of conjunctiva.

Central Nervous System
Suspected with:

  • Very severe headache.
  • Photophobia.
  • Seizure.
  • Other focal neurologic findings.

Complications

  • Meningitis.
  • Subdural empyema.
  • Epidural abscess.
  • Intracerebral abscess.
  • Cavernous sinus thrombosis.

Other

  • Septicemia.
  • Osteomyelitis.

Suppurative Complications

  • Rare, occurring in 3.7-11% of hospitalized pediatric patients with sinusitis.
  • Primarily related to orbital cellulitis or intracranial infection.

Periorbital and Orbital Cellulitis

  • Orbital septum: Thin membrane separating superficial eyelid from deeper eye structures.
  • Periorbital cellulitis: Bacterial infection of the eyelid and surrounding soft tissues (preseptal).
  • Orbital cellulitis: Infection involving fat and muscles posterior to the orbital septum (postseptal).

Chandler Classification

  1. Preseptal cellulitis.
  2. Orbital cellulitis.
  3. Subperiosteal abscess.
  4. Intraorbital abscess.
  5. Cavernous sinus thrombosis.

ccellulitis Z OSPE subperisteal, sinusitis

antibiotic, i/d


Indications for Hospitalization

  • Acutely ill child or adult with high fever, severe head pain.
  • Suspected sphenoid sinusitis.
  • Complications involving eye, bone, or intracranial structures.