What causes sinusitis?
Viruses, allergens, irritants like smoke, air pollution, solvents dust or drugs such as cocaine can cause sinusitis. Other causes are malformations of the nose such as a deviated septum or physical injuries such as a broken nose.
Why choose computer-assisted sinus surgery?
Computer-assisted sinus surgery is a modern, minimally invasive procedure that avoids external incisions and has helped revolutionize the management of sinus disease. The procedure makes use of an image guidance system that is accurate to within less than 1.0 mm and has the ability to track an instrument in real-time within the confines of a surgical field.
Since the sinuses are located in a highly confined area between the eyes and beneath the brain, this technology ensures that complications are minimal. The computer-assisted procedure used at Clearpoint Health for revision and primary sinus surgery has an overall cure rate of greater than 95%.
What to expect with computer-assisted sinus surgery
During this surgery, your surgeon will carefully insert an endoscope through the nose into the sinuses. Images from the endoscope allow a surgeon to precisely navigate the affected areas of the nose and sinuses while leaving healthy areas untouched.
The surgeon also uses the Medtronic Fusion™ navigation system, a specialized three-dimensional, computer-enhanced visualization system, which provides the surgeon with a real-time display of a surgical instrument’s location and trajectory overlain on the patient’s CT scan for extremely precise control.
Your surgeon can then perform biopsies, clear the sinuses, and remove abnormal growths by using special tools that slide beside the endoscope. Once the procedure is finished your surgeon will gently remove the endoscope. The total procedure takes about two and a half hours and you will be able to return home the same day.
Recovery after computer-assisted sinus surgery
Computer-assisted sinus surgery requires much less recovery time than an open surgery technique. You will usually be able to return to work within a week of surgery and full recovery takes less than six weeks.