![]() Treatment options for cerebrospinal fluid leak vary from medical management to surgical intervention. ![]() If the doctor downplays or ignores this important sign and doesn't do an appropriate workup, it's likely negligent and medical malpractice. If a patient complains of this type of drainage after a sinus surgery, the standard of care requires the ENT to obtain a sample of the drainage and test it for spinal fluid. The drainage often depends on the position and may have a salty or sweet taste. The textbook, telltale sign of a CSF leak is on-and-off clear, watery drainage out of one nostril. ![]() Left unrecognized and untreated, it can place the patient at grave risk for developing an infection, like meningitis. But the inquiry doesn’t end there.īy damaging the dura mater, it compromises the sealed protective layer of the brain and causes a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. In most cases, when a surgeon accidentally causes this type of injury, it is considered a potential complication of the sinus surgery and not negligence. This may be described as an incidental durotomy and is considered an iatrogenic or hospital-acquired injury.Īccording to medical research, the most common locations of surgery-related injuries causing CSF leaks are the cribriform plate/fovea ethmoidalis, frontal sinus, and sphenoid sinus. Once positioned, the surgeon slowly inflates the balloon to open up the sinus and allow normal drainage.ĮNT surgeons should be on the lookout for complicationsīecause of the close location of the sinuses to the brain, there is a risk of an accidental surgery-related injury or puncture of the protective coating of the brain called the dura mater. As the name suggests, the surgeon uses an endoscope and catheter to place a small balloon in the exact location of a blocked sinus. The images are uploaded into a computer system that helps guide the surgeon’s movement of the endoscope in real-time.Īnother option for sinus surgery is balloon sinuplasty. These operations begin with a CT scan of the sinuses. Some ENT surgeons use stereotactic or image-guided procedures to help protect the nearby eyes and brain. With the endoscope in place, the surgeon uses micro-instruments to remove polyps or unwanted tissue and correct bony structures. The ENT surgeon inserts the endoscope through the patient’s nostrils and it sends images back to a monitor and the operating room. ![]() The most common type of sinus surgery involves the use of an endoscope, a piece of surgical equipment with a lighted camera. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors may offer sinus surgery as a treatment option when over-the-counter or prescription medications don’t reliably work to relieve the patient’s symptoms. That’s exactly what happened to a client of mine in a case-but that’s a different story.īack to sinus surgery. ![]() He explained that infections in that area pose a particular risk of spreading to the brain because of a shared blood supply. The professor used the phrase “triangle of danger,” while making a triangle shape on his face, with the top point being the bridge of the nose and the bottom two points roughly at the top of the chin. When I hear about them, though, I think back to a lecture in my first year of medical school. I think most people don’t get too concerned about sinusitis or sinus infections. It's important for patients and physicians to follow-up and keep a close eye on any problems that continue or develop after surgery, including watery drainage. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses caused by an infection or another problem. Sinus surgery is a common procedure for people who have chronic problems with sinusitis. ![]()
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