Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the relevancy of flexible nasoendoscopy as a routine screening procedure of sinonasal adenocarcinoma among people occupationally exposed to wood dust.
Methods: This study included woodworkers, occupationally exposed to wood dust. Evaluations were scheduled at the time of inclusion (T0) and after a 2-year period (T1). A questionnaire was used for standardized data collection. The score was based on anatomic landmarks on each side that are parts of the olfactory clefts: the area of middle turbinate, the anterior part of the olfactory cleft, the top of the choanal arch, the spheno-ethmoidal recess, the posterior part of the olfactory cleft, and the middle part of the olfactory cleft.
Results: A total of 965 nasoendoscopies (T0+T1) were performed. Olfactory clefts were visualized in 72% of the cases. Nasoendoscopies revealed pathological findings in 33.6% of cases: polyps, thick nasal secretion aspect, mucous edema, retractile scars and synechia, crusts, mucous erythema, and growth. One case of carcinoma was confirmed. Adverse effects (epistaxis, blood mark on the endo-sheath, sneezing, or rhinorrhea) after the medical procedure occurred in 30% of cases without severe complications.
Conclusion: Flexible nasoendoscopy offers meaningful efficacy and a promising safety profile, and, therefore, could become the new cornerstone of the routine screening procedure of sinonasal adenocarcinoma among woodworkers.
Keywords: medical follow-up; nasal fibroscopy; olfactory clefts; sinonasal adenocarcinoma; woodworkers.
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.