Background: in the last 30 years Trans-Nasal Endoscopic Surgery (TNES) has emerged as the mainstay of the elective treatment of most pathologies arising from sinonasal cavities. Growing technology and techniques made TNES an essential instrument even in the emergency/urgency scenario.Materials and Methods: a retrospective cohort analysis was conducted at our tertiary care center including patients who required TNES within 48 hours from their admission at the Emergency Department. Demographic characteristics and surgical outcomes were evaluated for patients treated from 1st January 2016 and 31th December 2020. Moreover, we reviewed the most recent literature about safety and efficacy of non-elective TNES in the management of the commonest otorhinolaryngology emergencies: epistaxis, acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis, and post-traumatic optic neuropathy.Results: on the whole, we performed non-elective TNES in 45 patients, with a success and a complication rate of 93.3% and 0.0%, respectively. 11.1% of patients reported long-term sequelae related to their primary disease, in spite of treatment. No deaths were perioperatively reported. 52 studies about non-elective TNES were included in the present paper, each encompassing one single disease.
Conclusion:the specific competences acquired by otorhinolaryngologists made TNES a safe and efficacious procedure even in the treatment of non-elective sinonasal diseases. The importance of a well-trained multidisciplinary team came to light for a prompt and correct management of sinonasal conditions that are barely rare but potentially sight-and life-threatening.