I have had sinus blockage in my left frontal sinus. I have had fatigue, eye floaters, eye pressure, feeling of "not being there", sinus pressure, and lightheadedness for about 6 months now.
I visited an ENT specialist and they ordered "Left Functional Sinus Surgery with Balloon Sinuplasty".
I am only 15, so I have no consent or regulation over the procedure. I have anxiety problems, so I am nervous about the surgery.
I am wondering if this means I will only need the sinuplasty, since I do not have any polyps or other blockages. I would strongly prefer avoiding the FESS, because that means I would require post operative endoscopic treatment (i refused a diagnostic endoscopy and needed a ct scan. What are the chances that I might not need the functional surgery?
There is really no difference between a balloon sunuplasty and "functional sinus surgery" - they can't really do one without the other. The balloon procedure will allow the surgeon to create/enlarge the opening to your frontal sinus but almost always requires some additional endoscopic removal of tissue to create an opening that will be "patent" and allow for your frontal sinus to drain correctly.
Is your concern just that you are uncomfortable with the idea of having an endoscopic examination of your nose? It's definitely a weird/uncomfortable feeling at first but you will get used to it (and the endoscopic follow up is absolutely critical).
Th only thing you might ask about is whether your doctor would try some medical options - saline irrigation, oral steroids and a steroid spray - to see if they will get your sinuses draining correctly and allow you to avoid the surgery.
Last edited by gcsjr; 12-19-2012 at 06:28 PM.
The Following User Says Thank You to gcsjr For This Useful Post: TFOX8 (12-21-2012)
Thanks for the reply. I am hoping that the procedure is minimal. Is it possible that only the sinuplasty will be done, since they are completely different procedures? I've been using flonase, 3 rounds of antibiotics, prednisone, and saline rinses. My surgery is on, monday, so my hopes of avoiding it are over.
I'm just nervous about the overall process, the anesthesia, the iv, the breathing tube, and the postoperative debridements. Do you think I may be sedated for those too? I don't have a very high pain tolerance.
My surgery was completed on Christmas eve and took about 2 and a half hours. I woke up, feeling great! The recovery wasn't all that bad and there was minimal bleeding.
My main worry, to postoperative debridements, came a few days later. I took some hydrocodone before, which helped very little. They numbed me, and I decided we were going back to the operating room for it.
Before finalizing that decision, we tried first with the endoscope. Wasn't that bad! My doctor continued with the debridement, and while it was moderately painful and quite uncomfortable, it wasn't that bad!
