Op. Dr. Bekir Can Gümüşlü
Online
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1 - 2 hours
Permanent (Lifetime)
4 - 5 days
General Anaesthesia
Sinuses are air-filled cavities located within the bones surrounding the nose. When the mucosa lining these cavities becomes inflamed, sinusitis occurs. In cases where symptoms persist for more than 3 months despite medical treatments, recur frequently, and lower the patient’s quality of life, a Chronic Sinusitis condition arises.
At this point, medications become insufficient, and surgical intervention becomes mandatory. In his Istanbul practice, Op. Dr. Bekir Can Gümüşlü utilizes the Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) method to relieve his patients of persistent headaches and nasal congestion.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, one of the greatest gifts of technology to the medical world, is the process of clearing the sinuses with the help of cameras, entering entirely through the nostrils without any external incisions.
Surgery is not performed on every patient with a headache or a runny nose. The decision for surgery is made following a detailed ENT examination and a Sinus Tomography (CT) scan. FESS is the gold standard in the following situations:
Chronic Sinusitis: Inflammations that do not respond to medical treatment and cause constant nasal discharge and a feeling of fullness.
Nasal Polyps: Benign soft tissue growths (resembling clusters of grapes) that obstruct the sinus openings.
Antrochoanal Polyps: Large, unilateral polyps that hang toward the nasal passage.
Sinus Tumors: Benign or malignant masses originating from the sinuses.
Orbital Injuries (Orbital Decompression): In cases of bone fractures between the eye and nose or eye protrusion due to thyroid disease.
The surgery is carried out under general anesthesia. Op. Dr. Bekir Can Gümüşlü enters the nose with thin optical cameras (endoscopes) that are 4 mm thick. These cameras show the surgical field magnified on a monitor, allowing the surgeon to clearly see the finest details of the sinuses and the diseased tissues.
The goal of the surgery is to widen the obstructed sinus channels (ostium), clear the inflammation accumulated inside, and remove polyps if present. Thus, the natural ventilation and drainage function (the self-cleaning mechanism) of the sinuses is restarted. During the operation, advanced technologies such as “Navigation” systems are used to ensure a safe working environment in sensitive areas adjacent to the eyes and brain.
The recovery process after endoscopic sinus surgery is quite rapid:
Hospital Stay: Patients are generally discharged on the day of surgery or the following morning.
Nasal Packing: In sinus surgery, traditional packing is usually not used, or special dissolvable sponges are placed instead. This maximizes patient comfort.
Nasal Irrigation: Post-operative care is as important as the success of the surgery. It is essential for our patients to perform nasal irrigation (lavage) for 3–4 weeks using saline sprays or special kits recommended by our doctor to prevent crusting and speed up healing.
Follow-ups: One or two dressing appointments may be required after surgery to clean the crusts inside the nose.
Immediately after the surgery, the patient begins to find relief from the feeling of pressure in the face, constant nasal discharge, and impaired sense of smell.
The success rate of surgery in the treatment of chronic sinusitis is over 90%. However, if the patient has severe allergies, asthma or aspirin sensitivity (especially in patients with polyps), there may be a risk of recurrence years later. This risk is minimised with regular follow-up and medical treatment.
It takes an average of 1-2 hours, depending on the extent of the disease and the number of sinuses to be treated (front/back sinuses).
As no external bone-breaking procedure is performed in endoscopic sinus surgery, swelling in the face or bruising under the eyes is not expected.
The sinuses are adjacent to vital organs such as the eye, brain membrane and carotid artery. Therefore, it is technically a delicate operation. However, when performed by experienced surgeons with a thorough knowledge of anatomy, such as Op. Dr. Bekir Can Gümüşlü, and with the assistance of navigation technology, it is an extremely safe procedure.
The majority of patients who lose their sense of smell due to polyps or chronic infection regain their sense of smell after surgery, following the opening of the airway and healing of the mucosa.
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