Nasal and Sinus Surgery

Patients with rhinological (nasal and sinus) problems are provided comprehensive care and advanced surgical solutions at the ENT Department of Herzliya Medical Center. Expert ENT surgeons treat a variety of conditions by means of conservative and surgical, mostly minimally-invasive methods, supported by leading-edge laboratory and diagnostic imaging in-house facilities. With constant funding on research the clinic intends to further technologies to serve a diversity of needs of patients from around the globe.

One of the ENT Department’s major expertise fields is nasal and sinuses surgery, with a special emphasis on the following procedures:

• Sinusitis and recurrent sinus infection treatment
• Deviated nasal septum surgery
• Endoscopic nasal surgery
• FESS Surgery
• Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea
• Other types of nose surgery (rhinoplasty, polypectomy, septoplasty, balloon sinuplasty

Sinuses Surgery at HMC

By definition sinus surgery aims to relieve any obstruction formed in the sinuses’ tissue or restore impaired sinus drainage. Ideally the procedure should be done by endoscopic techniques to reduce complications: expert surgeons at Herzliya Medical Center refrain from all external incisions. FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery) is prioritized in most of the cases, if conservative treatments – drops, decongestant sprays and steroid/antibiotic medication- fail to bring results.

Some basic facts on FESS Surgery conducted at Herzliya Medical Center:

The need for FESS surgery in most of the cases is down to severe and recurring sinusitis.
Before surgery patients without exception must undergo telescopic examination and a CT scan along with laboratory tests.
The operation is mostly conducted under general anesthesia, but out of medical considerations you might receive only local anesthetics.
FESS Surgery is the safest method of sinus operations, with rare complications of bleeding in the eyes and nose or on even scarcer occasions spinal fluid leakage.
After the operation patients are observed overnight, but it is not uncommon to get discharged after a few hours. The application of salt water or special drops may help get rid of post-op mucus and blood.
Recovery takes a week or two, during which it is highly recommended to refrain from strenuous physical activity.
Balloon sinuplasty is a relatively new ENT technology to open narrowed sinus passages with the help of a balloon introduced through an endoscope.

Types of nose surgery conducted at Herzliya Medical Center

As for nasal disorders, there are many distinct types of nose surgery, targeting a variety of symptoms. All interventions are possibly conducted by endoscopic nasal surgery, whose techniques have substantially evolved in the last decade. The procedure is done through the nostril with the help of an endoscope attached to a mini camera, allowing a clear visualization of the nose. No cuts or scarring can be expected. Frequent indications for endoscopic nasal surgery are:

• nasal infections and polyps
• nasal tumors
• nasolacrimal duct obstructions
• choanal atresia
• celebrospinal fluid leaks
• deviated nasal septum surgery
• cysts

While endoscopic nasal surgery can be a final response to the above ailments, patients suffering from diseased mucous membrane or recurring polyps should understand that surgery may only mean a temporary relief.

Polypectomy – Nasal polyps are non-malignant swellings in the nasal cavity that can cause frustrating symptoms ranging from breathing obstructions to sinus inflammations and infections. During polypectomy an ENT specialist removes the polyp by suctioning or with a microdebrider and then sends the extracted tissue for lab analysis.

Rhinoplasty – Principally carried out by plastic surgeons, rhinoplasty is mostly performed for aesthetic considerations on an elective basis rather than to improve function. A cosmetic surgery will strive to create a more harmonious look, correcting shape, width, angle or size. Often, however, rhinoplasty is performed out of medical necessity, because of an accident or birth defect. As for the techniques, to reshape the structure of the nose incisions are necessary; it cannot be conducted with a laparoscope. Cuts may be internal or external depending on the place and extent of the intended correction.

Deviated Nasal Septum Surgery – The nasal cavity is divided by a flexible cartilage called nasal septum, which is ideally positioned in the midline of the nose. If the septum deviates into an abnormal position, it can make breathing demanding and may also impede proper sinus drainage.

Deviated nasal septum surgery is indicated to readjust a badly positioned nasal septum, done through the nostrils, mostly with traditional open surgery with internal incisions. Pain, swelling and bruising are natural for a few days, but under normal circumstances patients can get back to their routine within two weeks.