Image Guidance: A Useful Adjunct to Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Dr. Parikh finds image guidance particularly helpful when working adjacent to the skull base and orbit, such as with removal of benign skull base tumors or periorbital abscess drainage. He points out that the sinuses can be different sizes at different ages, so image guidance technology may lend itself to appreciating those subtle anatomic differences. And this may enhance patient safety. I keep emphasizing may, because that is our hypothesis, but we do not have scientific merit to establish that.

Dr. Senior concluded, In many ways, the benefit [of image guided endoscopic sinus surgery] is intangible. But by giving me instantaneous feedback, it gives me an extra sense of confidence in addition to my knowledge of the anatomy and my knowledge of how to perform the surgery.

Reference

1. Smith TL, Stewart MG, Orlandi RR, et al. Indications for image-guided sinus surgery: the current evidence. Am J Rhinol 2007;21(1):80-3.

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