When you've been dealing with sinus problems for months, or even years, it may be time to consider sinus surgeries to alleviate your conditions and restore your breathing to its fullest capacity.
When medications haven't provided enough relief or eventually fail to work, ENT specialists typically recommend sinus surgery to treat chronic sinusitis, remove nasal polyps, treat structural bone issues, or address other sinus-related problems. Today, there are several minimally invasive sinus surgery procedures available, many of which offer faster recovery and less downtime.
Wondering which sinus surgery types are right for your sinus issue? Get in contact with our team of physicians at ENT of Georgia South today and schedule an appointment. Our doctors will explain each procedure step-by-step, provide sinus surgery diagrams during their consultation to ensure complete patient understanding, and go through which sinus surgery procedures are available for your symptoms.
Balloon Sinuplasty
Many people with chronic sinusitis also suffer from allergies or have naturally narrow sinus openings, where even slight swelling can cause major symptoms. In these cases, balloon sinuplasty may be a good solution.
Balloon sinuplasty uses a small, flexible balloon catheter that inflates to open blocked sinus passageways and facilitate drainage of the mucus that plagues patients suffering from chronic sinus infections.
Balloon sinuplasty procedure
This minimally invasive outpatient procedure, typically performed under local anesthesia, involves inserting a small balloon through the nose into the sinus opening. The balloon is gently inflated for a few seconds to widen the passage as your doctor performs a dilation of the sinus opening, providing noticeable relief from built-up sinus pressure.
As the balloon expands, it also reshapes the surrounding sinus bones without cutting or removing tissue. Once complete, the balloon is removed, leaving the sinus passage permanently widened and free of blockage.
Balloon sinuplasty is an effective treatment option for those with chronic sinus issues, especially when other traditional medical treatments haven't worked. The surgeons at ENT of GA South have been performing balloon procedures for over a decade.
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is a minimally-invasive outpatient procedure performed to reduce chronic sinus infections and restore sinus ventilation and normal function. One of the most common sinus surgical procedures, studies have shown that 80-90% of patients feel the surgery helped alleviate and cure their problem.
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery procedure
During the procedure, one of our ENT of Georgia South physicians will use a magnifying endoscope inserted through the nostrils to pinpoint the source of your sinus problem and remove any abnormal or obstructive tissue.
Once the cause is identified, specialized surgical tools are used to remove bone, polyps, or diseased tissue. Functional endoscopic sinus surgeries can be performed in a few hours and usually results in only mild discomfort and minimal swelling.
Following the surgery, follow-up visits for approximately three weeks are necessary to clean crusts from the surgical site. A further follow-up visit(s) is then scheduled in two to six weeks.
Endoscopic Nasal Polyp Surgery
If you suffer from nasal polyps and your medications are no longer effective, endoscopic nasal polyp surgery is often the next step for nasal blockage removal. This minimally invasive procedure removes polyps and clears nasal passages, providing long-term symptom relief.
Endoscopic nasal polyp surgery procedure
Conducted under either general or local anesthesia, a small, flexible tube with a camera (endoscope) is inserted into the nasal passages. With precision surgical instruments, the surgeon extracts the nasal polyps and eliminates blockages.
If necessary, additional adjustments are made to improve sinus drainage and reduce future inflammation.
The recovery process is usually quick, with most patients experiencing significant improvement in breathing and a reduction in chronic sinus issues caused by nasal polyps within a few weeks. Post-surgical care includes nasal irrigation and corticosteroid sprays to prevent recurrence.
Septoplasty
Septoplasty is one of the most common nasal procedures used to correct a deviated septum, a condition where the thin wall between the nostrils is displaced or crooked, making it difficult to breathe. The primary goal of the surgery is to improve airflow by straightening the septum and relieving nasal obstruction.
A deviated septum can occur naturally or from injury and may be accompanied by other issues such as chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, or enlarged turbinates. Turbinates are long, curly, and narrow bone structures that extend into the breathing passageway of the nostrils, creating four air passages in the nasal airway. A sinus surgery diagram will show you how your turbinates can potentially disrupt breathing through swelling.
Septoplasty procedure
During the procedure, the surgeon lifts the mucosal lining covering the septum, reshapes or removes parts of the underlying cartilage and bone, and then repositions the lining. If enlarged turbinates are contributing to the blockage, they may be reduced using radiofrequency or partially removed.
Septoplasty is one of the most frequently performed ENT surgeries in the U.S., and up to 85 percent of people experience improvement in their nasal blockage after surgery, but it's typically recommended only after other treatment options for nasal obstruction have been explored.
Laser and Radiofrequency Turbinate and Swell Body Reduction Treatments
Laser and radiofrequency treatments are a quick, minimally invasive nasal procedures designed to relieve nasal obstruction and improve airflow by shrinking enlarged turbinates and swell bodies using targeted energy. Patients who have a deviated septum often develop turbinate hypertrophy, which is chronic swelling of nasal turbinates.
Laser and radiofrequency turbinate procedures
After a thorough evaluation, an ENT specialist may recommend this in-office procedure, which is performed under local anesthesia. A laser or radiofrequency probe is then inserted into the nasal passage and directed at the inflamed turbinates to target, vaporize, and shrink the swollen turbinate tissue.
Typically done in under 20 minutes, this treatment targets only the problem areas, preserving the healthy tissue, while promoting faster healing with minimal discomfort and a reduced cost than traditional surgery.