What Is Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery is surgery that’s performed through the nose to simply open up the sinuses and allow them to drain better, get air in, and if necessary, to allow doctors to get medication into the sinuses to treat chronic infection or recurrent infection.
Chronic sinus infections are usually caused by a number of different variables that come together that create this particular problem. A combination of allergies, infection, anatomy, genetics, and environmental exposure can lead someone to have sinus problems.
When Is Sinus Surgery Needed?
In general, most of us will get a cold and do just fine, but a chronic sinus patient or a chronic sinusitis patient will have their symptoms last for weeks, if not months, or years. Those patients will show up with complaints of nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, runny nose, post-nasal drip, and sinus pressure. When these symptoms have simply become unbearable, or have lasted way too long, Dr. Daneshrad recommends endoscopic sinus surgery.
What Are The Benefits Of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
When compared to conventional sinus surgery, endoscopic methods have numerous advantages.
- The endoscope eliminates the need for an external incision.
- The endoscope allows better visualization of diseased or problem areas, possibly even revealing a problem that could not be found otherwise.
- Because of the more specific focus, endoscopic methods allow direct viewing of the sinuses often requiring less removal of normal tissue.
- Recovery is much easier.
- Post-op pain is little more than discomfort and only lasts a short period of time.
How Painful Is Recovery After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
These are not painful recoveries. It will feel as if you have a bad head cold for about one week. You should expect some nasal and sinus pressure and pain for the first several days after your surgery with Dr. Daneshrad. This may feel like a sinus infection or a dull ache in your sinuses. Extra-strength Tylenol is usually all patients feel is needed to handle this discomfort.
What Can I Expect For Results From Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
Endoscopic sinus surgery improves symptoms in about 90 percent of patients. Surgery does not always eliminate sinusitis, however. Some patients may need a second procedure. These procedures are usually the most successful when they are used along with medicine and home treatment to prevent future sinus infections.
How Will Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Impact My Breathing Post Op?
You will have nasal congestion and discharge for the first few weeks after your sinus surgery. Your nasal passage and breathing should return to normal 2-3 weeks after surgery. When fully recovered, your breathing should be improved.
Recovery From Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery has changed tremendously over the last 20 years. There’s no more packing, patients are able to go home breathing, and within a week, patients feel significantly better than they have in years.
The recovery for functional endoscopic sinus surgery is about a week’s worth of feeling like you have a really bad head cold. A little bit of a runny nose and sinus pressure, but nothing unbearable. For most patients, it’s not much different than the symptoms they’ve had all these months or years leading up to the surgery. But after a week, patients are back feeling much better, breathing better, exercising, living their life a lot better than they were before the endoscopic sinus surgery.
Patient Testimonial
"I was very pleased with the service and care given during my visit. I was visiting from out of state and had a medical emergency. I was given a last minute appointment and Dr. Daneshrad was very detailed and thorough. I appreciate the attention and professionalism shown during my visit."
Will I Need Additional Sinus Surgery In The Future?
As mentioned above, these surgeries are successful in about 90 percent of patients. But for some patients, an additional procedure may be necessary in the future to further improve and reduce sinusitis.
Are There Any Possible Side Effects For Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
The most common call received after sinus surgery is a complaint of pressure that patients feel. It just feels like you have a really bad head cold. Unfortunately, there’s no perfect medication for it, but at the Daneshrad Clinic, we will try with the combination of different medications to control the patient’s complaints. Luckily, it’s only short-lived, a few days. But the results of the endoscopic sinus surgery last a lifetime.
What Are The Risks Involved With Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
These endoscopic surgeries are considered a success if most of the symptoms the patient is experiencing are resolved after a one- to two-month postoperative healing period. The most common complication is a cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSFL), although this is rare. This complication is higher with endoscopic methods, as entry is made through the nose, but the improved visualization provided reduces this risk. If this does happen, it can be repaired, and the leak stemmed. Other risks include infection, bleeding, double vision usually lasting a few hours, numbness of the front teeth, orbital hematoma, decreased sense of smell, and blindness due to damage to the optic nerve.
Will I Still Get Sinus Infections In The Future?
Most sinus infections are linked to the buildup of fluids. When this occurs, bacteria flourish and multiply causing infection and inflammation that swells the tissues and creates blockage. These surgeries with Dr. Payam Daneshrad seek to make changes in the structure that will address the causes of blockage and buildup, which will then reduce the likelihood of the patient having these infections in the future. There are no absolutes, but the possibility of getting future sinus infections drops dramatically after this surgery.
Schedule Your Sinus Surgery Consult In Santa Monica, CA Today!
To learn more about endoscopic sinus surgery at the Daneshrad Clinic, call 310.453.6500 or fill out the appointment request form below. We proudly serve patients from Santa Monica, Torrance, Los Angeles and surrounding areas, including Brentwood, Malibu, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, Venice, Pacific Palisades, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Palos Verdes.