Chronic Rhinosinusitis

This is Dr. Sharad Mohan from Medicheck Group of Hospitals. Today I am going to tell you something about chronic rhinosinusitis which is a very common problem. Now what does it mean when the doctor says that you are suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis. This is a very common condition. It means inflammation of the nasal passages or sinuses. As the name indicates, chronic means that the duration of the symptoms is at least for 12 weeks and it includes 2 or more of the symptoms which are nasal blockage or rhinorrhea. 2nd is the facial pain and 3rd is loss of smell or reduces sensation of smell. The main thing is to notice here the facial pain may associated with headache or may not be associated with headache and the condition of nasal discharge or obstruction may be associated with postnasal discharge means something sticky substance going down through your throat.

Now it is mandatory to forward at this chronicity of the disease may not be very evitable to the patient. He may be unaware that he is suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis. Now what are the types of chronic rhinosinusitis. Broadly CRS can be divided into 3 main groups i.e. chronic rhinosinusitis with polyposis, chronic rhinosinusitis without polyposis and the 3rd one is allergic fungal rhinosinusitis. Now what are the causes? For a patient to know the main causes are infection or allergy result in nasal polyps or agnomical deformities such as degraded nasal septum. Now the question arises as I said chronic rhinosinusitis with polyposis, chronic rhinosinusitis without polyposis.

What are nasal polyps? Polyps are painless, soft, non-cancerous which is generally associated with chronic rhinosinusitis. And on examination they look like a bunch of grapes. Now the thing is that if the doctor says you are suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis with polyposis that means there is inflammation of sinuses, nasal passages and association with these polyps. Now coming to the main part that is what are the treatments. The mainstay of the treatment is nasal irritation to wash up the allergens, to wash up the retain secretions. In cases if the medical treatments fails, the doctor may give you an option for an endoscopic sinus surgery. This is the very common surgery now being performed. And you should know about the surgery. Traditionally the sinus surgery involves removing of obstructive or disease sinus mucosa which natural passages of secretion from the sinuses. And this is done endoscopically without any scar outside. 2nd and the new method is benue sinuplasty. In this the passage, the opening of the sinuses is dilated.

It’s an easier procedure. Can be done in out-patient department also. And it generally depends on the patient condition. The thing to notice here that the procedure is new and safe, but it is expensive. And it has got no advantage over the traditional sinus surgery. So, if you are opting for benue sinus surgery, then be careful. 3rd and the most important thing is, post-operation care is as important as the sinus surgery itself. So, please follow religiously whatever the doctors says. Now the main thing you should know is about the risk and the complications of the surgery. Most important symptoms is recurrence. The patient can land up again with the same set of symptoms as he was prior to the surgery and he may have to go again for the surgery i.e. revisional surgery or repeated medical consultation. Regarding the complication of the surgery, one may suffer from pain, bleeding, one may suffer from injury to the eye which may involve loss of vision also. And one may suffer to the injury to the base of skull. There are certain anatomical factors also. For deviated nasal septum, it is important to know that there is no medications for deviated nasal septum. Your deviated nasal septum cannot be cured by any medications. And you have to go for surgery. And this may one of the cause of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Thank you.