Ten pearls for safe endoscopic sinus surgery

M Tewfik
Peter J. Wormald, Government of South Australia, SA Health

Abstract

Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is effective in improving the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis and thus in ameliorating the quality of life of patients suffering from this common disease. However, one important drawback to this type of surgery remains the potential for serious complications. This is inevitably because of the proximity of critical anatomic structures such as the orbit, the internal carotid arteries, the skull base, dura, and brain.