Prophylactic Antibiotics After Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: a Randomized, Double-blind Placebo Controlled Trial

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a commonly performed procedure in the United States to treat chronic rhinosinusitis. Common practice is to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics postoperatively. This is similar to the long tradition of prophylactic antibiotics after tonsillectomy. The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery recently strongly recommended against prophylactic antibiotics after tonsillectomy. In this light, this study would demonstrate the lack of need for antibiotics after FESS. Currently one surgeon does not prescribe antibiotics except when evidence of active infection was found during surgery. The other surgeon in the study currently prescribes antibiotics. This study would prospectively compare the two groups in a randomized fashion. The investigators' plan to use the Sinonasal outcomes test - 22 (SNOT-22) as the investigators' primary outcomes measure, which is a validated quality of life instrument in sinusitis.