Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

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Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery - Scope & Hope

Minimally invasive surgery restoring sinus ventilation & mucociliary drainage.

  • Scope: Targets pathology in nasal cavity & paranasal sinuses.
  • Core Principle:

    ⭐ Messerklinger's concept of mucociliary clearance pathways being central to sinus health and FESS goals. FESS restores these by clearing osteomeatal complex (OMC) obstruction.

  • Goals:
    • Enlarge natural sinus ostia.
    • Remove obstructing pathology.
    • Preserve healthy mucosa.
  • Indications:
    • Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) failing maximal medical therapy.
    • Nasal Polyposis.
    • Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis (RARS).
    • Fungal Sinusitis. Endoscopic view of osteomeatal complex during FESS
  • Hope: Symptom relief, improved quality of life, ↓medication use.

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery - Scan & Plan

Coronal CT scan paranasal sinuses with anatomy labels

  • Computed Tomography (CT) - PNS:
    • Axial, Coronal, Sagittal views: Roadmap for surgery.
    • Assesses disease extent, anatomical variations (e.g., Onodi cell, Haller cells, Keros types of cribriform plate).
    • Lund-Mackay score: Standardized Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS) severity grading.
  • Diagnostic Nasal Endoscopy (DNE):
    • Visualizes pathology (polyps, pus, discharge), confirms CT findings.
    • Assesses nasal airway, septum, turbinates.
  • Pre-operative Checklist:
    • Informed consent (detailing risks: CSF leak, orbital injury, bleeding, infection).
    • Medical fitness evaluation, anesthesia plan.
    • Consider pre-operative systemic steroids or nasal decongestants.

⭐ The Lund-Mackay system is a key CT scoring system for Chronic Rhinosinusitis severity, aiding in surgical planning and prognosis assessment (Max score 24).

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery - Uncinate & Beyond

⭐ The Ostiomeatal Complex (OMC) is the critical drainage area targeted in most FESS procedures for maxillary, anterior ethmoid, and frontal sinuses. Key components: uncinate, infundibulum, hiatus semilunaris, bulla.

  • Goal: Restore physiological sinus ventilation & mucociliary clearance pathways.

  • Key Principle: Mucosal preservation, targeted removal of pathology, enlargement of natural sinus ostia.

  • Core Surgical Sequence (Uncinate & Beyond):

    • Uncinectomy: Pivotal first step; removal of uncinate process.
      • Exposes: Ethmoid infundibulum, natural ostium of maxillary sinus.
    • Middle Meatal Antrostomy (MMA): Widening maxillary ostium.
    • Anterior Ethmoidectomy: Clearing anterior ethmoid cells.
      • Key landmarks: Ethmoid bulla. Basal lamella (divides anterior/posterior ethmoids).
    • Posterior Ethmoidectomy / Sphenoidotomy: For posterior disease extension; sphenoid access via posterior ethmoids.
  • Essential Instruments:

    • Endoscopes: , 30°, 45°, 70° for visualization.
    • Microdebrider: For soft tissue and polyp removal.
    • Through-cutting forceps (e.g., Blakesley, Weil).
    • Ball-tipped probe: For exploration & identifying ostia.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Steps and Anatomy

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery - Heal & Heed

  • Post-operative Care:
    • Saline nasal douching: essential for hygiene, crust removal.
    • Regular debridement: prevents synechiae, aids healing.
    • Avoid nose blowing for 1-2 weeks.
  • Healing Timeline:
    • Initial crusting & edema are common.
    • Full mucosal recovery typically takes 6-12 weeks.
  • Key Complications:
    • Minor: bleeding, adhesions (synechiae), local infection.
    • Major: CSF leak, orbital injury (e.g., hematoma, EOM damage).

⭐ CSF leak and orbital injury are the most feared major complications of FESS, underscoring the need for meticulous technique.

  • Follow-up: Regular visits to monitor healing and manage issues early.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • FESS restores sinus ventilation and mucociliary function.
  • Indicated for CRS refractory to medical treatment, and nasal polyposis.
  • Uncinate process is the key landmark; its removal opens the ostiomeatal complex (OMC).
  • Messerklinger technique emphasizes mucosal preservation around the OMC.
  • Coronal CT scan is essential for pre-op assessment.
  • Risks: CSF leak, orbital injury (lamina papyracea), major bleeding.
  • Endoscopes (, 30°) and microdebrider are vital tools.
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Practice Questions: Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

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A lady comes to OPD after fall from scooty. Her vitals are stable. She is having continuous, clear watery discharge from nose after 2 days. This is most likely a feature of?

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Flashcards: Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

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_____ incision is used in septoplasty done for deviated nasal septum

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_____ incision is used in septoplasty done for deviated nasal septum

Freers hemitransfixation

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