Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) for sinusitis

Mount Sinai sinus surgeons (Govindaraj, Alicea, Del Signore, Iloreta, Schaberg, Shah, Wei, Mra, Sands, Shin, Tweel, and Zeiger) specialize in minimally invasive, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and sinusitis with or without nasal polyps. Sinus surgery for inflammatory disease allows medications such as nasal steroids, saline irrigations, and antihistamines to better reach their target areas. Polyp removal may also improve nasal congestion and nasal obstruction. This procedure is commonly performed along with septoplasty and inferior turbinate reduction to further open the nasal airways to improve breathing through the nose. Not all sinuses must be opened in order for surgery to be effective; surgeons will open a combination of the following sinuses: maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, and sphenoid on one or both sides. The extent of surgery is dependent on symptoms, anatomy, and the results of a CT scan. Sinus surgery is very effective in well-selected patients. For more information, go to: The Mount Sinai Otolaryngology Surgical Video Series was edited by Dr. Zachary Schwam.