What Is the Sinus Surgery Process?

What Is the Sinus Surgery Process?

Do you have sinus problems and wonder what sinus surgery is all about? First of all, relax, because at Everyone's ENT & Sinus Center in San Antonio, TX, Dr. Christine Gilliam has extensive experience in today's latest surgical methods. You can experience better upper respiratory health. Here's more.

When you need sinus surgery...

Your board-certified otolaryngologist is the doctor to see. At Everyone's ENT & Sinus Center, San Antonio, TX, patients come to us with a wide variety of ear, nose and throat problems. Chronic sinusitis, or recurring infections of the air-filled cavities in the skull, is one of the most common.

If you've had infection after infection, and steroidal medications, antibiotics, lavage and other less invasive treatments just don't work, Dr. Gilliam may recommend sinus surgery. Other reasons for surgery are congenital abnormalities in the sinuses or benign polyps on the mucus-producing lining of your nose or sinus passages.

Whatever your need, expect a thorough exam, including sophisticated imaging, smell testing, blood work, a review of your medical history and symptoms. Your care plan will include surgery and your recovery needs afterward. Dr. Gilliam performs sinus surgeries with the benefit of local or general anesthesia as patients needs warrant.

Sinus surgeries and recovery

At Everyone's ENT & Sinus Center, Dr. Gilliam offers these types of sinus procedures:

  1. Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, which uses a lighted scope inserted through the nose to remove obstructions, such as polyps
  2. Image-guided sinus surgery, which employs precise CT scans to yield real-time images of the interior of the sinus cavities and endoscopic instruments to remove growths or relieve congenital or acquired obstructions
  3. Caldwell Luc procedure, performed through the maxillary sinus and into the nose to correct chronic sinusitis and remove malignancies

As you recover, you will take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for discomfort. You'll rest at home for a day or more, and you may have nasal packing in place. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic say that today's sinus surgeries are more comfortable, produce far less bleeding and achieve better patient outcomes than old-style procedures did.

Contact us

If you have additional questions about sinus surgery, please contact Dr. Christine Gilliam and her team at Everyone's ENT & Sinus Center in San Antonio, TX. We'll take good care of you. Phone (210) 647-3838.