Pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis

Purpose An up-to-date overview of diagnosis, differential diagnosis, comorbidities, and current medical and surgical management of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis (PCRS). Methods Review of current evidence-based literature on PCRS. Results Diagnosis of PCRS seems to be improving based on recent evidence using nasal endoscopy as well as computed tomography scanning. Recent literature supports the fact that chronic adenoiditis can be an independent etiology of symptoms of chronic sinusitis, that are very similar to chronic adenoiditis. Allergic rhinitis and immune deficiency play important roles in the management of PCRS. Surgery for PCRS has evolved significantly in the last 15–20 years to include adenoidectomy as well as endoscopic sinus surgery. Conclusions PCRS is very common in children causing poor QOL for these children. Medical management remains the main stay of treatment with attention to management of co-morbidities that may contribute to the disease severity. Making the correct diagnosis will help with the choice of surgical intervention if medical management fails.