Why is my Nose Blocked?

Our sinuses are hollow, air filled cavities which sit behind the forehead and cheeks. There are four pairs of sinuses, each are lined with soft tissue and covered with hair-like cilia. The lining and cilia filter dust, pollen, germs, and other foreign bodies in the air. The lining inside of our sinus reacts strongly to environmental irritants, therefor, high exposure can overpower our body’s natural defence leading to recurrent sinus infections and breathing issues.

What is Sinusitis?

Swelling of the nasal mucosa may prevent our sinuses from draining properly. When bacteria or viruses are not removed they grow causing inflammation which leads to a sinus infection called sinusitis.

Chronic sinusitis cases may last for more than 12 weeks and can continue to progress for months, even years. Sinusitis can often be treated medically with antibiotics, oral steroids, steroid based sprays and immunotherapy. If medical treatment proves to be ineffective, Dr. Choroomi will then recommend sinus surgery as a minimally invasive alterative for treating chronic sinusitis.

Symptoms of Sinusitis:

• Facial Pain and Pressure
• Ongoing Congestion Headache
• Poor Recovery from Colds
• Mucous Discharge
• Vision Disturbances
• Recurrent Nasal Obstruction
• Nose Bleeds
• Poor Sense of Smell

Am I a Candidate for Sinus Surgery?

Patients with chronic or recurrent sinusitis, nasal polyps, or breathing issues who have exhausted other medical treatments may benefit from sinus surgery. Dr. Choroomi performs sinus surgery only after medical treatment has failed to treat your chronic sinus infection. Before recommending sinus surgery Dr. Choroomi will

• Request a full sinus medical history.
• Use endoscopic cameras to look inside your nose and sinuses.
• Perform a CT scan of your sinuses.

Based on his assessment, Dr. Choroomi can determine if sinus surgery is right for you. Each patient is unique therefor specific questions regarding surgical procedure, recovery risks, and results will be discussed in detail at your consultation to ensure you are fully informed and comfortable with your surgical plan.

How is Sinus Surgery Performed?

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is one of the most common ways to treat a chronic sinus condition that has not responded to medications. The goal of FESS is to improve sinus drainage and reduce blockage of the nasal passages without affecting the shape of your nose, cheeks or eyebrows.

This procedure is performed under general anesthesia using a nasal endoscope. This small fiber optic camera provides Dr Choroomi with a clear view inside the nose to:

• Widen sinus openings by removing tissue
• Remove polyps that may have formed
• Remove any bony abnormalities that are blocking sinus cavities
• Suction mucus, infection and fungus from inside the nasal cavity

In more complicated cases Dr Choroomi may use Image Guidance technology, working like a GPS inside the nose to guide him to the targeted areas where infection or blockage occurs. Unlike older forms of sinus surgery, these modern non-invasive technologies help treat sinusitis with minimal discomfort, shorter recovery periods, and reduced risk of infection.

Recovery after Sinus Surgery

The majority of patients will experience significant improvement immediately after sinus surgery. However, depending on the type and extent of surgery it may take weeks before you start feeling better. Before and after surgery, Dr. Choroomi will give you specific recovery guidelines to follow.

After surgery you can expect:

• Your nose to be packed with dissolving material. This material does not need to be removed which is often discomforting.
• Gauze dressing placed under your nose, like a mustache, to capture any mild oozing. The gauze may typically be removed after 1-2 days.
• If a deviated septum was corrected, splints are placed inside your nose for one week.
• Mild congestion, like you have a cold or flu, can last up to a month.

At one week Dr. Choroomi will suction your nose to remove dried blood and mucous. You will need to spray and rinse your nose with saline regularly to remove any further dry blood and keep the nose moist. This rinsing will typically need to be continued several months after your procedure. You may return to normal activity 7-10 days after your operation.

Sinus Surgery is often performed in combination with:

•  Deviated Septum Surgery.  This surgical procedure is performed to straighten a bent septum (the cartilage that separates your nostrils). When the septum is bent it can cause breathing issues that affect sleeping and quality of life.
• Turbinate Reduction Surgery.  The turbinates are natural air filters responsible for warming, humidifying and filtering air. These filters can become swollen and enlarged, blocking airflow through the nose. Reducing the size of your turbinates can relieve nasal obstruction and congestion.
• Cosmetic Rhinoplasty. A primary rhinoplasty can be performed in combination to change the shape or size of your nose. By combining these procedures patients have one recovery and less downtime.
• Functional Rhinoplasty.  This procedure may be performed to correct specific issues that are affecting your breathing.
• Broken Nose Surgery.  Sinus surgery can be made at the same time as correction of a broken nose.