TORONTO-Although functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a commonly used and well-established tool for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, between 10% and 20% of patients will have recurrent disease and require further surgery. But there are some common problems that can often be avoided by using appropriate imaging and taking the time to understand the anatomy in each case.
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January 2007This was the key message from ENT surgeons on a panel at the annual AAO-HNS conference who provided tips on how to improve outcomes in FESS. Panel members discussed cases and addressed common difficulties seen in revision surgery, along with tactics to help reduce potential problems.
When it comes to the nuts and bolts of successful FESS, key points include being able to see what you’re doing, having appropriate medical and anesthetic strategies for your surgery, working in such as way as to have minimal blood loss, and making sure the patient is stable, said James Palmer, MD, Assistant Professor of Rhinology at the University of Pennsylvania.