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L i v e Yo u n g e r L o n g e r
The goal of surgery
If sinuses don’t drain properly, pus and
other secretions can build up and become
infected. Air also needs to move freely
through the sinuses, or it can become
trapped or cause a vacuum. Any of these
conditions can lead to pressure and pain.
The goal of surgery is to improve drainage
and reduce blockages so that the
complex pathways between the sinuses
and the nose work better.
Surgery helps by:
■
Enlarging the natural openings
of the sinuses.
■
Correcting anatomical problems.
■
Removing growths, called polyps.
Types of surgery
Today sinus surgery is usually done
entirely through the nose, with no external
scars. Surgeons use techniques that
cause much less pain and downtime than
older surgical techniques.
Sinus surgery options include:
•
Functional endoscopic sinus
surgery (FESS),
which involves
inserting a very thin, lighted tool called
an endoscope through the nose.
Sinuses:
When You
Need Surgery
When sinuses become infected, medicine is the first line of defense. Nose drops, saline washes,
steroid sprays, antibiotics and other medications often help reduce swelling and knock down infections.
But some people develop sinus problems that become chronic. Months — or years — of headaches,
pain and misery can follow. Uncontrolled infections can travel to sensitive areas near the sinuses,
including the eyes and brain. If aggressive use of medications fails, your doctor may suggest sinus surgery.
This allows the surgeon to see the
sinuses. Using microinstruments, small
amounts of bone or tissue are removed
to enlarge and clear blocked areas
to improve drainage. Sometimes the
inside anatomy of the nose needs to be
repaired too.
•
Image-guided surgery,
which involves
a multidimensional mapping system,
CT scans and infrared signals to guide
surgeons through the sinus passages.
The signals and scans help surgeons
know exactly where to fix the sinus
passages.
•
Balloon catheter sinuplasty,
a
minimally invasive technique that uses
a soft, flexible wire threaded through
the nose to reach the sinuses. A small
balloon attached to the wire is then
gradually inflated to gently reshape the
blocked areas.
Used alone, sinuplasty doesn’t require
cutting, so it preserves the original nasal
tissue. But depending on the location,
extent and cause of sinus problems,
doctors may use a hybrid approach,
combining sinuplasty with other sinus
surgery techniques for the best results.
To learn more about treatment
options for chronic sinusitis, contact
Stephen Marc Gugenheim, MD, at
707.995.4518.
“
Patients typically return to
their regular activity within
a few days after sinus
surgery,” reports Stephen
Marc Gugenheim, MD,
Otolaryngologist. “Most
have better quality of life
after sinus surgery.
— Stephen Marc Gugenheim, MD
”
Stephen Marc Gugenheim, MD