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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:

n

Enlarging the natural openings

of the sinuses.

n

Correcting anatomical problems.

n

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

707.224.7400.

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