RHINOLOGY (sinus and nasal specialisation)

What causes a nasal obstruction?

A blocked nose can lead to snoring, sniffing, mouth breathing. It can be caused by a deviated septum,  large adenoids, hay fever, enlarged turbinates or “sinus” disease.

Treatment involves specialised nasal sprays, rinses, antihistamines, or surgery. A septoplasty and surgery for the sinuses and turbinates is helpful when sprays are not helping. An assessment by an ENT specialist surgeon will provide information for you to choose the best option for yourself.

What are sinuses?

They are air-filled paired spaces in the bones of your face located below your eyes, between your eyes, in the forehead and at the back of your nose.

They can become infected causing nasal blockage, smelly thick discharge, loss of your sense of smell, facial pressure and swelling of your eyes.

The sinuses become chronic where the symptoms persist longer than 12 weeks a year.

What causes sinus problems?

There are many factors that cause sinus problems. “Scraping your sinuses” does not help the problem and can lead to an increase in crusting and blockage.

What treatments are available for sinus disease?

Treatment for your sinuses is with both medications and endoscopic sinus surgery. Patients with chronic sinusitis will need regular care for years to manage their sinusitis.

Associate Professor Eng Ooi has previously undertaken advanced training with international experts on the techniques of advanced endoscopic sinus surgery. A/Professor Ooi is able to offer advanced assessment and management of all sinus disease. This includes acute and chronic sinusitis, fungal sinusitis, and benign and malignant tumours of the sinuses and skull base.

He has also been trained in performing advanced endoscopic drillout procedures for chronic frontal sinusitis that are refractory to standard surgical techniques.

A/Professor Ooi has a PhD in immune causes of chronic sinusitis and has numerous research papers and grants on the causes and treatments of chronic sinusitis. He is also a faculty member of courses teaching ENT surgeons the techniques in advanced endoscopic sinus surgery.

What is stealth guided navigational surgery?

This technology is like the “GPS in your car”. It helps your surgeon navigate using your CT scans when operating in your sinuses. You will require a special type of CT scan done for this. A/Professor Ooi uses it in selected endoscopic cases for sinus surgery, skull base surgery and removal of tumours.

Complete opacification fo the sinuses

Complete opacification

Enlarged Inferior Turbinate

Enlarged inferior turbinate

Nasal Polyps

Nasal Polyps

Make An Appointment

Adelaide ENT Surgery are specialists in sinus and nasal conditions. To make an appointment with one of our ENT specialists you can contact us here.