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"Chronic sinusitis can turn into a devastating problem," says Dr. David Hemmer, a Board Certified Otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Surgeon in practice with Fox Valley Ear, Nose & Throat. " A person's quality of life can really suffer when they experience frequent episodes of headaches, facial pressure and the misery of recurring sinus infections."
When sinusitis becomes debilitating, surgery is often the sufferer's only option. Unfortunately, traditional sinus surgery can be a complicated procedure. Proximity of the sinuses to the eyes, major blood vessels, and the brain can increase the risk of surgery. To avoid complications it is critical for the surgeon to know exactly where his instruments are in relation to these structures in the patient's body. Selecting an experienced surgeon who is very familiar with complicated sinus anatomy is the most effective way to reduce complications.
In addition to experience, Otolaryngologists at Fox Valley Ear, Nose, and Throat now have a safer means of treatment for patients requiring sinus surgery that provides a clear "road map" pinpointing the exact position of virtually any surgical instrument throughout the surgical procedure. This exciting new development is called Image Guided Surgery, a technique using the VectorVision® system from BrainLab. This state-of -the-art technology allows physicians to minimize the chances of sinus surgery complications, operate more thoroughly, and perform more difficult procedures. In essence, it allows them to actually see what they couldn't see before.
Actual CT images of the patient's sinuses are obtained and transferred onto a computer data disc. This disc is then uploaded into the VectorVision® computer and transferred to a monitor for the physician to view. Traditionally in the operating room, surgeons have had to rely on their clinical skills and experience to transfer information from the CT images mounted in the operating room to what they saw through the endoscope (a special scope inserted through the nasal cavity used to visualize the surgical site). But image-guided surgery provides a new and safer perspective. A headband with reference points is placed around the patient's forehead and using a wireless laser pointer, the system collects surface data points to create a GPS system for the body. During the procedure, surgeons place the endoscope in the patient's nose while correlating their position with the scan on the computer screen. This image-guidance system shows the exact location of the surgical instruments so the surgeon can safely navigate through difficult anatomy.
"This exciting new technology is particularly useful if a patient's sinus anatomy is unusual or for "revision" surgeries - when a patient has already had prior sinus procedures," explains Dr. Rockne Brubaker, a Board Certified Otolaryngologist and partner in the Fox Valley Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialty Practice who has seen many successful outcomes after utilizing this new technique with his patients. "Patients who have had previous sinus surgery are often difficult surgical candidates due to the presence of scar tissue and the loss of important anatomical landmarks which results in greater risk for complications. Image guided surgery allows the surgeon to complete more difficult procedures adding a significant element of safety. I feel that image guided surgery will soon become the new standard of care."
Because this new procedure is done through an endoscope inserted into
the nose, an open incision is rarely necessary. Almost all patients go
home shortly after surgery and without as much gauze packing in their
noses. The surgical precision of the image guidance system often means
that less tissue is damaged, so recovery is faster with much less discomfort
than in surgeries that previously required open incisions.
Image Guided Surgery is now being offered in the Fox Valley area
at Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center, Delnor Community Hospital, Provena
St. Joseph Hospital and Sherman Hospital.