Benign noncancerous growths called polyps can form anywhere in your nose or sinuses. Polyps in both nasal and sinus passageways may develop and block airflow, causing breathing difficulties. If treatments haven’t been able to reduce their size, you may need nasal polyp surgery.
What to Expect from Nasal Polyp Surgery
The location of the polyps will determine the procedure you’ll need. Your doctor could perform a nasal polypectomy to remove larger polyps at the front portion of your nose with a microdebrider in the office. In these cases, the sinuses are typically loaded with polyps, and minor surgery using an endoscope is needed to handle this condition. This minimally invasive method to help remove polyps can be performed in a single visit.
What Are The Symptoms Of Nasal Polyps?
The most common symptoms that can impact someone’s quality of life are:
• Rhinorrhea (Congestion)
• Nasal pain and pressure
• Sinusitis (Sinus infections)
• Lack of smell
Polyps can result in dense mucus, postnasal, and persistent infections from obstructed sinuses. To help reduce inflammation, improve mucus flow, and reduce irritants, you can use steroid nasal sprays, antibiotics, and medication injections in addition to saline rinses. The treatment of polyps can present substantial challenges. Medical interventions may not consistently deliver the desired results, thus rendering them ineffective. In these instances, your physician may advise nasal polyp surgery to remove the polyps.
Post-Surgical Care
General anesthesia is often used for this kind of nasal surgery, which can be done with minimal sedation or even while the patient is wide awake. The polyps’ location and size will determine the surgery’s length, which can vary from as long as a few hours to less than one. You’ll most likely go home the same day. Your doctor would advise you to refrain from doing a few things for the first few days after the procedure to reduce bleeding and other complications, such as:
• Nose blowing
• Heavy lifting
• Bending down or over so that your head is below your heart.
• Slight bleeding from the sinuses is normal; however, if you experience a lot of bleeding, call your doctor.
Surgical complications from nasal polyp removal are infrequent. You should be able to resume your regular schedule in about a week, and complete recovery will take about a month or so. It’s also essential to schedule follow-up appointments to avoid further complications.