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Nose Sinus Surgery
Nose surgery is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures that exist today. In fact it is so popular that the only procedure that tops it is Botox. Many people are unhappy with the shape or size of their nose and opt to have reconstructive surgery to achieve a more “perfect” feature. However, nose surgery can also be performed for medical reasons, for example to cure chronic sinusitis.
What Are the Sinuses?
We all have several sinuses in our face. They can be found in:
- The nasal bones
- The eyes
- The cheeks
- The forehead
Sinuses are hollow and filled with air and are lined with the mucus membranes. Mucus is incredibly important in the body to keep it lubricated, moist and in perfect health. Furthermore, mucus also stops dust and other items that people are allergic to from entering our lungs. You can recognise clear mucus by examining it: clear mucus is healthy, but thick, sticky and bloody mucus can point to an infection or sinusitis.
What Causes Sinusitis?
It is possible for a sinus to become clogged up or to have a high build up of mucus. When this happens, it creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. This, in turn, can cause an infection of one the sinuses, which can then potentially cause further infections in the other sinuses. Once the sinus passages become inflamed, the medical term is sinusitis. Acute sinusitis can easily be treated with medicine or treatment from an ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) specialist. More chronic sinusitis, or sinusitis that is resistant to treatment, however, needs to be treated with nose sinus surgery.
What Is Nose Sinus Surgery?
During nose sinus surgery, a cosmetic surgeon will make the sinus openings larger. At times, this can be a particularly invasive procedure, whereby the sinuses are reached through the cheeks, which can lead to significant scarring and tissue damage. As this regularly occurs, nose sinus surgery is generally a last resort option, when the clinical files of a patient indicate that the sinusitis is chronic or resistant to conventional treatment. A patient will be asked to go for a variety of tests, including a CT scan, a blood test, a smell test and nasal physiology tests before nose sinus surgery will be advised.
Other, less invasive, forms of nose sinus surgery are also available, including FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery), Caldwell Luc operations and image guided or endoscopic surgery. These carry fewer risks with them, but can still lead to complications.
As you can see, nose surgery is not only available to improve the look of a nose, but also for the improvement of nasal function. Nose sinus surgery, however, should only be considered as a last resort option, due to regular complications including severe scarring. It is always advised to try to find the root cause of sinusitis and attempt to treat this with conventional medicine or alternative treatments before opting for surgery. If you do feel you would benefit from this type of procedure, you should first speak to your medical professional, who will be able to advise you on the best course of action.
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