Sinus Surgery (FESS)

Office Procedures

Patients suffering from chronic or recurrent sinus pressure/infections, nasal congestion, and impaired smell may have symptoms consistent with sinusitis. Sinusitis is a disorder of inflammation. An increased inflammatory response in the sinus and nasal passageways causes an impairment to drainage that yields the above noted symptoms.

First line treatment for chronic or recurrent sinusitis is medication. Steroid sprays and saline irrigations have shown to provide effective relief in many cases. Compounded steroid/saline sprays are very effective as well.

For patients that also have bacterial sinusitis, antibiotics can be utilized as well. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, 2-4 weeks of antibiotic treatment is recommended.

When medications do not provide relief and CT Scans and Nasal Endoscopy confirm persistent disease, surgery is an option.

For example, in office CT scans shown above reveal a normal patient with no evidence of sinus disease in the first CT Scan; the second CT Scan reveals significant sinus disease noted by the grey areas in the sinus region.

The principle behind in office sinus surgery is to remove polyps and other anatomic obstructions that are impairing adequate sinus drainage. By improving sinus drainage and restoring proper sinus ventilation, the natural clearance of sinus secretions is improved. This allows future infections to clear much faster and also provides a route for topical medication to reach the sinuses for maintenance therapy. The entire procedure is performed through the nose using cameras and sinus instruments; therefore, the patient does not have any visible incisions or bruising after surgery

The patient in the first CT Scan suffered from sinus disease not responsive to medications. A few months after surgery the CT Scan was repeated yielding a clearer sinus passageway.

If you feel you have symptoms similar to those discussed above, feel free to contact us for further assessment and treatment.