Sinus surgery is an operation to remove or repair diseased sinus tissue. The surgeon uses techniques that allow access to the diseased tissue through small openings in the skull base around the nose. These techniques are called endoscopic sinus surgery, or ESS. If you have damaged sinus tissue, Midtown East Sinus Surgery can help.
Sinus surgery is performed by an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, throat specialist) with specialized training in procedures for the nose and sinuses. This operation aims to improve the patient’s ability to breathe through their nose and reduce other symptoms of sinusitis such as discharge from the nose, pain or pressure in the face, and nasal obstruction.
Below are instances when one would need Sinus surgery;
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When Do You Need Sinus Surgery
Develop recurring sinus infections
You may be a candidate for sinus surgery if you have recurring or chronic sinus infections that don’t improve with other treatments, such as antibiotics or nasal steroid sprays. In this case, your doctor may recommend sinus surgery to open the blocked passages and allow better mucus drainage. The health expert may also recommend it if you have a deviated septum (the cartilage that separates your two nostrils) that contributes to the problem.
A structural block in your nose
You can develop a structural block in your nose, such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps due to either a large inferior turbinate or a deviated septum. This can be determined by a careful examination of the inside of your nose or through a CT scan. If this is the case, then sinus surgery is usually recommended.
Infections from cystic fibrosis or an immune disorder
If you have cystic fibrosis or an immune disorder, including HIV/AIDS, you need to see a specialist to treat your sinus infection. You may need surgery if the infection does not respond to drugs.
An abscess around your eye socket
If you have an abscess around your eye socket, they’ll take out a bone, do a sinus washout, and put it in a tube. However, health experts may recommend Antibiotics before surgery is considered. If medical therapy fails or symptoms return as soon as antibiotics are stopped, they’ll proceed to perform sinus surgery.
Is Sinus Surgery Safe?
Sinus surgery can be very effective in relieving symptoms of sinusitis. In some circumstances, health experts recommend it because its benefits outweigh the risk. Possible side effects include pain, bleeding, and infection. Nevertheless, you should not worry about experiencing pain during the operation. That’s because Sinus surgery is not painful. They use general anesthesia, so you sleep through it. Therefore, you don’t feel any pain during the operation.
Simply put, sinus surgery is used to open blocked sinuses to restore normal sinus drainage and function. The goal of sinus surgery is to improve the way your sinuses drain by creating a passage for mucus that gets stuck in a blocked sinus cavity.
Are you suffering from chronic sinusitis? Sinus surgery may or may not offer you significant relief. The best way to find out is to consult a rhinologist, who is an ear, nose, and throat specialist with additional training in sinus problems.