We have performed endoscopic sinus surgery on 46 patients with chronic, polypoid rhinosinusitis since 1989. Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 6 years (mean, 28.2 months). Overall, our patients had a 50% chance either of their symptoms returning to preoperative severity or of undergoing a second endoscopic sinus procedure, by 18 to 24 months of postoperative follow-up. Patients with predominantly infective symptoms of mucopurulent rhinorrhea and pain had a significantly better outcome than those with predominantly nasal blockage. The chance of the former group of patients suffering symptom deterioration back to the preoperative state or undergoing a second endoscopic sinus operation was 37% of that of the latter group. The extent of disease on computed tomography scan had no relation to outcome.