The most common reason for a failure of sinus surgery is that the real problem was not addressed – and sinus surgery, even if expertly done, will not be as effective as one would like. MOST patients with failed sinus surgery may NOT need revision surgery. We find the following conditions causing sinusitis will render surgery ineffective. For this reason, it is important to understand other sinusitis treatments that can better address the issue.
Allergies
Sinusitis can develop from nasal congestion caused by allergies – these need to be treated before sinus surgery. If allergies are not controlled, conditions such as polyps can recur – blocking even the enlarged openings.
Acid reflux
We find many people are symptomatic because of acid reflux coming up and irritating the nasal cavity. Their symptoms of post nasal drip may be caused by reflux, in which case sinus surgery will not help.
Headaches
Many people, including surgeons, are sure that their headaches and facial pains are from their sinuses. Frequently these can be from migraines or cluster headaches – If sinus surgery is performed for these problems, it will likely fail.
Infections
People can have immune deficiencies causing recurrent infection. Although surgery may be needed, the results will be less than satisfactory if the immune issues are not addressed
In-expert surgery
- Scarring – blocking the newly created openings – post-operative care is quite important – and some patients and surgeons may not be diligent in this. Often, we see patients where the surgery has caused scarring in the outflow of the frontal sinuses.
- Removing too much tissue – resection of inferior turbinate, middle turbinates, etc, causes crusting. The middle turbinate, if partially resected, can scar over the opening to the frontal sinus.
Contact us today if you have concerns on your surgery or other sinusitis treatments, we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common reason for sinus surgery failure is that the underlying cause of sinusitis is not properly addressed. Conditions like allergies, acid reflux, headaches mistaken for sinus issues, immune deficiencies, or issues from inexpert surgery can render sinus surgery ineffective.
Yes, allergies can cause nasal congestion leading to sinusitis and must be treated before surgery. If allergies are uncontrolled, conditions like nasal polyps may recur and block the sinus openings, reducing the effectiveness of surgery.
Acid reflux can irritate the nasal cavity and cause symptoms like post nasal drip that mimic sinusitis. In such cases, sinus surgery does not address the reflux-related symptoms, leading to ineffective treatment outcomes.
No, many headaches and facial pains thought to be sinus-related are actually migraines or cluster headaches. Sinus surgery performed for these headache types is unlikely to be successful since the real cause is not the sinus.
Immune deficiencies can cause recurrent sinus infections. While surgery might be necessary, without addressing the immune problem, surgical results are often disappointing due to persistent infections.
Inexpert surgery can cause scarring or remove too much tissue, such as parts of the turbinates, which can block sinus openings or cause crusting. Poor post-operative care may also lead to scarring and blockage, reducing surgical success.