Endoscopic sinus treatment – what you should know?

Each of us experiences a runny nose. A cold: headache and facial pain, nasal discharge, difficulty breathing through the nose, and reduced sense of smell are symptoms that pass. However, these unpleasant symptoms can become chronic, indicating problems with the paranasal sinuses. Such ailments should be consulted with an otolaryngologist and appropriate treatment should be undertaken. A chronically blocked nose and other symptoms can reduce the comfort of our daily functioning. The solution is endoscopic sinus treatment.

Modern sinus treatment, i.e. endoscopic sinus surgeries

Currently, medicine seeks fast and safe forms of treatment for various ailments. Properly performed diagnostics, diagnosis, and treatment guarantee a quick return to normal, healthy functioning.

Sinus diseases, especially chronic ones, involve ongoing discomfort, preventive measures, and frequent antibiotic use, which, as we now know, in large amounts negatively affect our microbiome. A disturbed microbiome results in intestinal problems and other complications. Therefore, it is worth implementing quick and effective action. Such action in modern otolaryngology is endoscopic sinus surgery.

In modern otolaryngology, endoscopic sinus surgeries are often used to treat sinus diseases. They allow elimination of the cause of the disease. The otolaryngologist refers the patient for surgery after thorough analysis of test results and medical history.

Endoscopic sinus surgery is a minimally invasive procedure. It is performed to restore proper ventilation of the paranasal sinuses. Ventilation is disrupted when the mucous membrane in the ostiomeatal complex undergoes changes caused by pathogenic factors. Abnormal changes block the openings of the paranasal sinuses. Sinus surgery allows their clearance and enables causal treatment of chronic sinusitis and other diseases such as: nasal and sinus polyps, small tumors, treatment of mucoceles of the paranasal sinuses, fungal sinusitis, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, developmental defects.

At Wilmed Clinic, we perform endoscopic sinus surgeries. They are carried out by doctors with extensive experience in otolaryngology and surgery, who treat each case individually.

Get to know your sinuses and their diseases

Structure of the paranasal sinuses

The paranasal sinuses develop over many years of life. Fully formed sinuses are present only around the age of 20. We have 4 paranasal sinuses: maxillary, frontal, sphenoid, and ethmoid sinuses. They form hollow spaces connected by small openings. The smallest are the ethmoid sinuses, located between the eye sockets. They are the first of all paranasal sinuses to fully develop. Above the maxilla are the maxillary sinuses, which are the largest of all sinuses.

The sphenoid sinuses are small and have a complex shape, located deepest. This gives them a certain advantage over others, as microorganisms have limited access to them, so inflammation in these sinuses develops quite rarely. The frontal sinuses are located above the eyebrows. Paranasal sinuses are pneumatic spaces directly connected to the nasal cavity. They are formed by mucosal invaginations in the facial bones. Under normal conditions, they are filled with air.

Functions of the paranasal sinuses

The most important function of the sinuses is their role in the breathing process. They warm, humidify, and cleanse the inhaled air, which then reaches further parts of the respiratory system. This prevents irritation of the mucous membrane. They also trap various microorganisms from penetrating deeper. The paranasal sinuses also protect the braincase from injuries and provide thermal insulation for the eye sockets and the base of the skull. Thanks to them, the facial skeleton has less mass.

Phonetic function. The paranasal sinuses serve as a resonating space; the timbre of our voice depends on the maxillary sinuses. They also protect the inner ear from conducting one\’s own voice through bone conduction.

Diseases of the paranasal sinuses

There are many sinus diseases with various causes. Viruses and bacteria often cause sinus diseases. Due to direct connection with the nasal cavity and the external environment, inflammation caused by these agents is most common. This is called sinusitis. It can be acute or chronic. Allergies can also cause chronic sinusitis. Other causes of sinus diseases include fungi, mucosal polyps, cysts, and tumors.

Symptoms of sinus diseases include: nasal congestion, reduced sense of smell, pain or pressure sensation at the nasal root, recurrent headaches, postnasal drip, recurrent upper respiratory infections.

The most commonly diagnosed sinus diseases by otolaryngologists are:

• Acute sinusitis. Depending on the location of pain, we distinguish: frontal sinusitis, maxillary sinusitis (jaw and tooth pain, bad breath), ethmoid sinusitis (pain at the nasal root), ear pain and head apex pain – sphenoid sinusitis.

It lasts about 4 weeks, caused by viral infection (rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, influenza virus) or allergy. After a short time, bacterial sinusitis may develop as a result of superinfection of the viral form. Symptoms include: headache worsening when bending forward, sinus pain, nasal congestion, difficulty breathing through the nose, fever, nasal discharge (may also drip down the back of the throat), reduced sense of smell, facial swelling around the eyes.

• Chronic sinusitis lasts longer than 8 weeks. Causes may include allergies, irritants, nasal polyps, anatomical nasal septum defects, frequent upper respiratory infections. It is very troublesome and leads to reduced sense of smell, chronic pain, chronic cough.

Treatment of sinusitis involves pharmacological methods, hygienic procedures (sinus rinsing), and in chronic sinusitis, surgical treatment aimed at removing the cause of the disease (e.g., nasal septum surgery).

• Sinus polyps

One of the sinus conditions is polyps. They are non-cancerous. These are soft mucosal growths. They are transparent or white-yellowish. They occur singly or in groups. They most often appear where the sinuses open into the nasal cavity. Symptoms appear when the polyps grow larger. These include: nasal congestion, serous or purulent nasal discharge, eye tearing, impaired smell and taste, recurrent upper respiratory infections, headaches, snoring.

Pharmacological treatment is the first choice; if ineffective, surgical removal of polyps is necessary.

• Fungal sinusitis

Fungal infection can also cause sinus diseases. It is caused by fungi such as Candida, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Mucorales. It is often diagnosed in people with weakened immunity or diabetes. Symptoms are similar to chronic sinusitis. Treatment involves antifungal medications and endoscopic procedures.

• Paranasal sinus tumors

Tumors can develop in any sinus. Statistically, people working with various chemicals and tobacco smokers are more at risk. Symptoms resemble chronic sinusitis but also include: vision disturbances, frequent nosebleeds, enlarged neck lymph nodes, facial lumps, ear pain. Therapy includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.

Diagnostics of sinus diseases

In sinus treatment, differential diagnosis and finding the cause are very important. The otolaryngologist will perform diagnostic tests and determine the cause based on them. Diagnostics usually include: laboratory tests (nasal discharge culture), imaging tests (e.g., CT scan, X-ray), nasal cavity examination with a speculum, endoscopic examination.

Treatment of sinus diseases

As mentioned earlier, sinus treatment can be a long and quite taxing process for the whole body. If there is an option for surgical treatment of chronic sinus ailments, it is worth considering a minimally invasive procedure such as endoscopic sinus treatment. Its effect is relief from symptoms of nasal congestion and accompanying symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and irritability, sleep disturbances, reduced concentration, and other factors hindering normal functioning.

If you suffer from sinus diseases, we invite you to Wilmed Clinic, where you will find comprehensive otolaryngological care and the assurance that endoscopic sinus treatment will be performed by specialists with extensive clinical experience and full commitment to the treatment process.