Choosing to have sinus surgery can be a difficult decision. Despite all of the advances in medical technology, there will still be some pain and swelling. Plus, getting surgery is just plain scary…we understand that. What can be even more disheartening, however, is having sinus surgery and still suffering repeated bouts of sinusitis. The good news is, in most cases, revision surgery isn’t necessary.
As mentioned in a previous blog post (link), the post-surgery recurrent congestion or pain could be due to:
- Allergies
- Nasal polyps
- Acid reflux
- Headaches
- Immuno-deficiencies
Treating these underlying conditions may clear the congestion and the pain, without the need for revision sinus surgery.
In some cases, however, an additional revision sinus surgery may be necessary. The goal of sinus surgery is generally to enlarge the natural ostium, or opening, of the sinus. If a surgeon misses the natural opening by so much as a millimeter, he or she will make an opening in the wrong place in the sinus. In these cases, the patient may have problems with the mucus recirculating—going out of one opening, and coming right back in the other opening.
In these situations, additional surgery may be required. Fortunately, this revision surgery should be much simpler than the original surgery, as it entails solely shaving down the tiny bridge of tissue that separates the openings. This is typically extremely straightforward, and can sometimes be done as an office procedure.
Revision surgery is one of our specialties. If you have any questions about it, please contact us today. You can breathe easier, and we can help.
