Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: Frequently Asked Questions

Some people have unpleasant symptoms from problems with their sinuses. These might include frequent infections which might seem like colds or allergy attacks, pain, or breathing problems. In many cases, sinus surgery (usually done with minimally invasive techniques such as endoscopic sinus surgery) can alleviate these problems. You can read more detail and the latest techniques about the sinus surgery procedure .

Sometimes abbreviated as ESS or FESS (for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery), this procedure opens the sinuses and allows them to drain. To see into the sinuses, the surgeon uses an "endoscope," which utilizes fiberoptic glass rods to provide superb visualization during the surgery. This allows the surgeon to precisely open the sinus drainage pathways wider while leaving the remaining tissue undisturbed. ...

Endoscopic sinus surgery is a difficult procedure to perform on children because their sinuses are small and not fully developed. When the sinuses have fully developed, sinusitis symptoms sometimes stop on their own. Therefore, unless there is a nasal obstruction such as a polyp , most doctors will prefer to treat a child with medication.

The introduction of high-quality nasal endoscopes has markedly improved intraoperative visualization by the intranasal route. Trauma to normal structures, and hence postoperative morbidity is minimized and precise meticulous surgery to restore physiologic routes of drainage and re-establish ventilation is possible. This is in stark contrast to non-endoscopic intranasal procedures where there is a lot of blood loss and damage to the normal structures causing a lot of scar tissue and poor functional results. ...

If you have chronic sinusitis or frequent attacks of acute sinusitis that have not improved after trying various medications over time, you may be a candidate for endoscopic sinus surgery. Any sinus surgery is considered a last resort, as less expensive and less traumatic treatments are always preferable. However, only a doctor can advise you the best course of treatment after a thorough review of your symptoms and a complete examination.

No, only a doctor specializing in sinus disorders, such as an otolaryngologist , can perform sinus surgeries. Since endoscopic sinus surgery is a fairly new and very delicate procedure, it is important to choose a doctor with considerable experience. You might also wish to get the opinion of a second doctor before consenting to any type of sinus surgery.

Probably not. A reduced sense of taste has many potential causes, most of which are not sinusitis. However, if you have chronic sinusitis accompanied by an impaired sense of smell, your taste problem may be caused by sinusitis and may improved by endoscopic sinus surgery. It is important to be evaluated by a doctor to determine the true cause of the reduced sense of taste. Back to Top of Page < Back Next >

Yes. If your doctor recommends it, it is safe for you to have endoscopic sinus surgery even if you've had a different type of sinus surgery in the past.