Sinus Surgery

Sinusitis is a condition characterized by swelling and inflammation in the sinus cavity that leads to nasal blockages and prevents the drainage of mucus. Mucus buildup creates intense sinus pressure, which leads to pain and difficulty breathing.

Sinus surgery is recommended when sinusitis is chronic, severe, and does not respond to other treatments. The procedure is relatively minor and lasts from an hour to an hour and a half. Local anesthesia will be provided, meaning the area is numbed prior to surgery, but the patient remains awake during the operation. While the patient may hear some crunching sounds and feel a sense of tightness in their nose, sinus surgery is painless.

In rare cases, the surgeon may need to remove multiple blockages or polyps. This is a more complicated procedure that requires general anesthesia and thorough cleaning of the frontal, maxillary, and sphenoid sinuses.

What Are the Benefits of Sinus Surgery?

In addition to cleaning the sinuses, relieving pain and pressure, and clearing the airway, sinus surgery can offer these additional benefits:

• Tumor removal
• Repairing a deviated septum
• Eliminating nasal polyps that interfere with breathing (this is particularly common in asthmatics)
• Alleviating the swelling associated with allergic rhinitis

What Are the Risks Associated with Sinus Surgery?

While any surgical procedure can cause complications, those arising from sinus surgery are rare. The most frequent complication seen in sinus surgery patients is the drainage of spinal fluid. It occurs in only two percent of patients and is much less scary than it sounds. Spinal fluid drainage is almost always detected and treated during the operation, which means the patient doesn’t have any problems after the procedure is complete.

The greatest risk associated with sinus surgery is blindness, which results from accidental damage to the optical nerve, but this is extremely rare.

Post-Operative Care

Once the surgery is complete, the patient may feel dizzy or drowsy from the effects of anesthesia. That will wear off within a couple of hours. A gauze dressing will be placed on the outside of the nose. This needs to be changed at least twice a day, or whenever it becomes damp or dirty. A packing will also be placed inside the nose and needs to be worn for about 72 hours. Overall, recovery from sinus surgery is usually quick and painless, though it can be a bit uncomfortable to breathe through the mouth while the nasal packing is in place.

If you have any questions about this procedure, contact us to make an appointment with Dr. Samadi.