Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
This is surgery to unblock congested sinuses. This is reserved for those patients who have failed medical treatment and/or have anatomical blockages, which predispose them to infection. A small rod with light and camera (endoscope) is passed into the nose to look inside the nasal and sinus passageways. Using small instruments the blockages are removed. These instruments are cutting instruments and small fine shaving instruments, which avoid tearing away the normal lining of the nose and sinuses. Commonly a deviated nasal septum is corrected at the same sitting. The surgery usually takes place at an outpatient facility either at the hospital, freestanding facility or doctor's office. The patient usually requires anesthesia, preferably general anesthesia or twilight sedation. Under a few circumstances, local aesthesia maybe the only anesthesia required with minimally invasive techniques.
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Fungus Infection Drained from Sinus Fungal sinusitis of maxillary sinus, B. Todd Schaeffer, MD, FACS, removal of fungal sinusitis from Maxillary sinus, Endoscopic Sinus surgery Click here to view video |
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Complete Congenital Nasal Blockage Removed with Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Endoscopic Choanal Atresia Repair in 20 year old, Unilateral nasal obstruction, B. Todd Schaeffer, MD, FACS, powered instrumentation Click here to view video |
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Concha Bullosa and Haller Cell with Endoscopic Sinus Surgeryr Concha Bullosa and Haller Cell Resection, Maxillary sinus outflow obstruction, Identification and removal of Haller Cells, Endoscopic Sinus surgery, Dr B. Todd Schaeffer Click here to view video |
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Dangers of Cocaine Nose Cocaine Nose, Destruction of nasal anatomy from cocaine, sphenoidotomy, septal perforation, orbital wall destruction Dr B. Todd Schaeffer Click here to view video |
What are the sinuses?
The sinuses are air-containing spaces, which produce mucous which cleanse the nose and upper respiratory tract. There are four sinuses on each side of our face. The cheek or maxillary, eye or ethmoid, forehead or frontal and back, sphenoid sinuses. All have small openings that drain into the nose with mucous. When these openings get blocked due to swelling from a cold, virus, allergy or polyp the sinuses retain the mucous. We all produce about two liters of mucous a day and swallow it without it interfering with our regular activities.
What is sinusitis? What are the symptoms?
When the mucous is trapped inside the sinus, it will become infected with bacteria that normally live in the unsterile nose and lead to infection. This causes pressure and pain when the sinuses fill up. It leads to discolored mucous going from clear, white, yellow to green. The internal nose swells so breathing is difficult and interferes with our sleep. The mucous or phlegm drips into our throat causing sore throat, throat clearing, cough, hacking, "something in throat" sensation and even fatigue with fevers. We can lose our sense of smell and taste.
Audio Link - Dr Schaeffer interviewed on Health Radio discussing endoscopic sinus surgery and sinusitis.
Treatment for sinusitis
Most sinus infections go away on their own. However, a lot of people require help due to the discomfort and interference of their quality of life from their nose, sinus and allergy condition. Sometimes this is a spectrum and hard to delineate if there is a true bacterial sinus infection. Simple remedies are saline sprays, washes and irrigations. Decongestants like Sudafed help congestion. Antihistamines aid allergic symptoms of seasonal sniffling, postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose and throat. When these fail a visit to a physician to determine if antibiotics are required for a bacterial sinus infection. A topical steroid spray may be required if the condition is chronic or felt to be secondary to an allergic condition.
Second Sinus Opinion
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