Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Details of the condition

This procedures will usually require an overnight stay.
If the procedure is early in the day, and the patient is quite comfortable without significant bleeding, discharge on the same day is possible.
A postoperative overnight bed will always be booked in case it is required.

Up to 2 weeks time off MAY be required, and it is best to have an arrangement for this when planning surgery.
For people who have a relatively sedentary occupation, earlier return to work may be possible, it they feel well enough and there is minimal bleeding.
Heavy physical exertion or travel should not be undertaken for 3 weeks following the day of surgery.
The nose will usually feel entirely blocked for several days postoperatively.
In most cases, the nose will feel quite clear following the first postoperative review, at which point dissolving packing material and blood clot is suctioned from the nose.

Pain is not usually a major feature of this surgery.
When septoplasty is involved, the nose will be tender.
There may also be headache.
A small number of patients can have quite severe pain, requiring stronger than usual medication.
Should you be struggling significantly with pain postoperatively please notify our office.
The first step is to ensure that there is nothing out of the ordinary, such as an infection.
Following this, the pain regime may be boosted.

Unless you have been instructed otherwise, vigorous nasal saline irrigation and nose blowing can commence on the first postoperative day.
It may be hard to get the wash into the nose at first, but if rinsing is tolerated, it will start to clear the nose, and will make cleaning out the nose a lot more comfortable at the first postoperative visit.
Hold off rinsing the nose if it is comfortable, or if there is significant bleeding.

SINUS RINSE, FLO or equivalent preparations may be purchased from the pharmacy.
If these are too vigorous, gentler preparations include NEILMED NASAMIST, FESS SINUCLEANSE AND STERIMAR.
The more salt water rinsing of the nose that is undertaken, the smoother the recovery.

It is usual to be given a script for antibiotics to be taken for 1- 2 weeks.
In the case of severe nasal polyps, a script for prednisone reducing over 2 weeks, may also be given.

The first postoperative visit is usually 3-4 days after surgery.
If you are struggling in any way, this can be brought forward in most cases.
The second visit will normally be at 2 weeks postoperatively.
Further visits will be necessary every 1-2 weeks until the nose is fully healed.
Depending on the original problem with the sinuses, and the response to surgery, further visits may be necessary even when the nose is fully healed from surgery.