Endoscopic Surgery of the Nose
What is it?
Endoscopic surgery is the contemporary surgical method to treat most pathological conditions and diseases of the internal of the nose and the sinuses. A thin telescope with diameter of four millimeters is connected to a high definition camera and allows the surgeon to access narrow and difficult areas of the nasal cavity. The method was introduced in mid-80’s, and since then has evolved tremendously, now allowing surgical access not only to the deepest parts of the nose, but also to surrounding areas, such as the eye and the brain.
Advantages
- For the doctor, the method has many advantages, as it provides better visibility through the thin shaft and the wide-angle lens, which allows all operations to be executed with accuracy and safety.
- From the patient’s point of view, it has converted the traditional sinus operations, with the long hospitalizations and the postoperative suffering, to easy procedures, with one day in hospital, without nasal packs and bruising.
Examples of application of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
- Nasal Polyps
- Chronic Sinusitis
- Obstruction of lacrimal system (with tearing of eyes)
- Tumours of the nose
- Tumours of pituitary gland
- Selected tumours of the brain
Surgical Navigation
Αn important technology, which increases significantly the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic surgery, is Surgical Navigation. During the operation, a computer projects the special instrument inside the preoperative CT scan of the patient, and so the surgeon can check his position in the surgical field, should any such need arises. In Athens Medical Center, we have at our disposal the latest generation of Neuro-Navigation, which works either in electromagnetic or optical mode, as shown in the picture.
In surgical navigation (image guidance), a computer projects the tip of the surgical instrument in the pre-operative CT-scan of the patient. This allows the surgeon to check his position in the nose, at any time during the operation, increasing its efficacy and safety.