Intersect ENT's Propel sinus implant is associated with better outcomes for endoscopic sinus surgery patients than undergoing the same procedure without the implant, according to a study published Jan. 20 in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps who received the implant after endoscopic sinus surgery required fewer follow-up medical visits in the 18 months after the procedure than those who didn't receive the implant, Intersect ENT, a medical technology company, said Jan. 25. General ENT visits, ER or urgent care visits, general outpatient visits and sinus-related endoscopies were all lower for those with the implant than those without it.
The study examined claims, electronic medical records and other data from applicable patients between 2014 and 2019 who had at least 18 months of data before and after surgery. The implant group and the control group were both matched with respect to demographics, year of surgery and insurance type.
One noted difference was that more patients in the implant group underwent surgery involving multiple sinuses than in the control group. The implant group thus may have suffered from more severe chronic rhinosinusitis than those in the control group.
Intersect ENT said the study was limited, however. Causality cannot be determined, specific site of implantation couldn't be identified, and medication data was unavailable, among other limitations.