Sinus Disease is one of the most common chronic medical conditions facing Americans today. Sinus disease causes our healthcare system billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs and results in millions of lost days from work and school.
Sinusitis is basically a drainage issue. The openings of the sinuses (Ostia) get plugged up by allergies, a cold or swollen tissue (like nasal polyps or swollen turbinates) and block the drainage of mucus that is produced by tissue of the sinuses. This mucus just sits there and ultimately becomes infected. As it becomes infected, the mucus becomes thicker and it becomes even more difficult for it to drain.
The sinuses have a relatively poor blood supply, making it more difficult for medicine and white blood cells to get to the sinuses to treat the infection.
The doctors at AllergyCorp Group are experts in diagnosing sinusitis, both acute and chronic sinusitis. We will then try to find the causes of the blockage that led to your condition. Through allergy testing and imaging of the sinuses using CT, we are able to identify the underlying cause of many sinus infections and effectively treat them. Sinus disease that is refractory to medical management may need to be referred for sinus surgery.
The goal of sinus surgery is to eliminate physical obstruction of the sinus cavities and nasal passages and to enlarge the natural sinus opening. The surgeon removes diseased bone or mucosa (skin lining), polyps or cysts, rinses the open sinuses and sometimes takes cultures. A pathologist examines the diseased tissue. The surgeon takes measures to minimize scarring and support healing structures. Surgery reduces the frequency of sinus infections by restoring natural patterns of ventilation and drainage within the nose.
Unlike traditional sinus surgery, Balloon Sinuplasty requires no cutting and no removal of bone and tissue. It is a
a simple and quick endoscopic procedure that opens/reshapes the sinus passages the sinus passages without tissue removal. Balloon Sinuplasty offers a much quicker recovery with little or bleeding. No packing is needed after surgery. The procedure is done in the office and most patient can return to work the next day
Balloon Sinuplasty uses a small, flexible, balloon catheter to open up blocked sinus passageways and facilitate drainage of the mucus that builds up in patients suffering from chronic sinusitis.
When the sinus balloon is inflated, it restructures and widens the walls of the sinus passageway while maintaining the integrity of the sinus lining.
Published clinical data in the leading ENT journals shows that it is safe and effective: patients experienced no device-related adverse events and demonstrated statistically and clinically significant improvement in their sinusitis symptoms.
Modern sinus surgery, sometimes referred to as Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is performed through the nostrils using narrow cylindrical scopes, fiberoptic illumination, magnification, video displays, and a variety of specialized instruments for removing diseased tissue. It is usually performed under general anesthesia (patient asleep) as an outpatient surgery.
The patient should stop all topical decongestant sprays four to six weeks prior to surgery. Before any sinus surgery, the patient must avoid blood thinners like aspirin or aspirin containing products such as Aggrenox, Ecotrin and Excedrin for two weeks. Other blood thinners such as Plavix, Coumadin and Warfarin should be stopped ahead of time according to your surgeon’s instructions. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (like Ibuprofen, Advil, Alleve, Naprosyn, Mobic and Celebrex) should be stopped at least a week before surgery. Surgery may be delayed or rescheduled if a patient has a respiratory illness, flare up of asthma or had any food or drink the morning of the procedure.
Risks of surgery include bleeding, formation of scar bands, recurrent sinusitis in the opened sinuses or progression of sinusitis to involve other sinuses, and recurrent growth of polyps. Rare risks include reactions to anesthesia, spinal fluid leak, decreased sense of smell, or injury to the eye socket resulting in pain or decreased vision
Recovery typically involves nasal packing that is removed a day or more after surgery. One can expect a few days of bloody nasal drainage and post-nasal drip. Salt water (saline) sprays and irrigations are used for two weeks or more. Follow-up in the office for endoscopic cleaning is important to ensure proper healing.