Sinus surgery is a minimal access (keyhole) surgical treatment option in Singapore for conditions that affect the sinuses, such as acute or chronic sinusitis, and for the removal of nasal polyps. It may also include removing sinus tissue that has become infected. Typically, people undergo sinus surgery due to severe and chronic sinus problems where medication, including nasal rinses or other medical treatments fail to solve the problem.
Surrounding the nasal passages are air filled spaces within the bone of our faces. These are known as paranasal sinuses. They are situated inside the cheekbones and forehead. The sinuses are normally lined by thin mucosa. Occasionally, when the sinuses become inflamed or infected, the mucosal lining becomes thicker, and the sinuses may fill with thick mucus and infected materia. In this situation, the person is said to have developed Sinusitis or sinus infections. In this situation, the sinus linings become swollen and blocked, trapping mucus and impacting airflow.
We generally divide sinusitis into acute and chronic subtypes. The common causes of sinusitis include:
While sinusitis may be a temporary symptom following the common cold, for those with structural issues in the nasal passages such as deviated septum, or nasal polyps, or bone spurs, it is often can be recurring or even a permanent problem that may only resolve with surgery. For those with nose allergies or a weakened immune system, sinus infections may happen more often. Sinus surgery can also treat those who suffer from sleep apnoea by widening the nasal airways to facilitate better airflow and breathing.
Those who experience sinusitis often have the following symptoms:
There are a few types of sinus surgery, the two most common being:
It is important to note that endoscopic sinus surgery will improve nasal breathing and is effective at treating sinusitis, but will still require continuation with medication and nasal rinses,to optimise one’s sinus health. The ENT specialist will explain more to you regarding this during your consultation. Prior to sinus surgery, you may need to undergo a CT scan of the sinuses to identify which of the sinuses are involved, and your ENT specialist will discuss these scans with you and explain what will be done during the sinus surgery.
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Sinus surgery can be used to treat the following conditions:
Remarkably, due to the minimal access (keyhole) nature of this surgery where there are no surgical cuts externally, there is very minimal discomfort or pain. The ENT Specialist will provide you with medications to be used in the days and weeks following surgery to maintain the patency of the nasal passages. The doctor will also review you in the clinic after the surgery to clean the nose further, to allow more rapid recovery. You will be able to breathe better.
In general, only one surgery is required to treat sinus issues such as sinusitis and sleep apnoea. Sinus surgery is usually done in one to two hours, depending on the complexity of the case. You may need to spend one night in the hospital to recover.
If you are experiencing acute or chronic sinus problems, contact us to find out if endoscopic minimal access sinus surgery is a suitable treatment option for you.
General anaesthesia is administered before the surgery commences. On waking, there is also only minimal discomfort experienced. It is not a painful surgery.
Endoscopic sinus surgery is a minimal access procedure to treat problems in the sinuses, as it is conducted through an endoscope instead of cutting through the nose. This is a routine procedure, with very good success rates, and minimal risk.
You might need surgery if you have acute or chronic sinusitis that does not improve with medication. Sinus surgery may also be necessary for the treatment of polyps, deviated septum, or other issues that are causing mucus blockages and impairing airflow. All these can be treated in one sitting.