A septoplasty is an outpatient procedure designed to straighten the crooked portions of the nasal septum. The goal of the procedure is to enlarge the nasal airway, so that more air is able to pass through the nose easily. That makes it easier for you to breathe through your nose.

Septoplasty is often combined with an inferior turbinate reduction. The inferior turbinates are little bones that stick out into your nasal cavity and take up space. Shrinking them in size can help enlarge the nasal airways. The end result - improved breathing through your nose!

If you’ve had a septoplasty in the past and didn’t improve, you should be evaluated further. It’s possible that there is another problem altogether that is actually causing your nasal obstruction. It’s also possible that certain critical areas need to be re-addressed. A comprehensive evaluation can help identify what the problem is and how to correct it.

If you’ve had a septoplasty and developed a septal perforation or a nasal synechiae after the procedure, I can help. We can start by trying to improve your symptoms. For a nasal synechiae, many can be removed in the clinic, but some may require surgery. A septal perforation that was previously created can be repaired with a simple outpatient procedure in certain cases.

Endoscopic sinus surgery is offered to treat recurrent acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis. It is a minimally invasive approach to address sinus disease and other nasal and sinus problems, and there are no external incisions such as cuts on the face, on the nose, or in the mouth. Traditionally, sinus surgery was performed with a headlight and a nasal speculum, which offered very limited views of the sinuses and required external incisions. Technological advancements in recent decades have allowed us to transform the way that endoscopic sinus surgery is performed. Now, we use a nasal endoscope (a long rod that essentially serves as a camera) that provides magnified and clear views of the inside of the nose and sinuses simply by placing it in the nostril. Combined with special instruments that have been developed for this kind of operation, we can now perform a variety of advanced procedures within your nose and sinuses simply by using these tools in your nose!

A large portion of my practice is revision endoscopic sinus surgery. In other words, I perform many surgeries on patients that are sent to me from other ENT surgeons, because their patients did not improve after sinus surgery. Many times, I am able to identify persisting problems in your nose and sinuses that still exist after sinus surgery. Revision endoscopic sinus surgery allows me to correct those issues and often translates into the relief that you were looking for initially.

Because I completed fellowship training in advanced endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery and practice in a tertiary academic setting (the University of Kentucky), I have the experience of treating complicated nasal and sinus problems that make it easier for me to feel comfortable addressing challenging areas of the sinus cavity. These are areas that might not have been fully addressed in your initial sinus surgery (because they are challenging areas that are difficult to access), and they may be the reason that your sinus problems persist! If your sinus problems persist even after sinus surgery, let me take a look!

Many people fear the dreaded packing after sinus surgery. I never place long sheets of gauze in your nose after sinus surgery. This is unnecessary, and no one enjoys seeing the magic trick of 6 feet of gauze being removed from their nose. It is uncomfortable and not required if the procedure is done carefully. I use dissolvable nasal packing that is small and hardly noticeable. It also comes out in a much more comfortable way during office debridements.

I find that if sinus surgery is done precisely and with very careful attention to detail, a very small amount of packing can be used. There are certain critical areas within your nose and sinuses that tend to scar together, and a small amount of packing can be used in these areas to prevent scar tissue from developing. If you’re noticing a theme here, this is very similar to my approach after septoplasty. I find that if your surgery is done meticulously, large amount of packing and nasal splints are simply not necessary.

Eustachian tube dysfunction can be a bothersome problem for many patients. The eustachian tube is the tube that connects the ear to the back of the nose. Eustachian tube dysfunction occurs when the eustachian tube doesn’t open and close properly. This prevents the ear from regulating its pressure properly. Symptoms of pressure changes, crackling in the ear, muffled hearing, ear fullness, and even hearing loss can occur.

A transsphenoidal hypophysectomy is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat pituitary masses or tumors. Advances in technology have revolutionized the way these types of surgeries are done. Using a nasal endoscope and special instruments, we are now able to access the pituitary gland (and other parts of the brain) directly through the nose. This procedure is typically performed by an otolaryngologist (ENT surgeon) and a neurosurgeon working in conjunction with each other - I most commonly work with Justin Fraser, M.D. when performing these procedures at the University of Kentucky.

A dacryocystorhinostomy, or DCR, is a procedure performed to alleviated lacrimal system or lacrimal sac obstruction in order to facilitate drainage of tears into the nose. Traditionally, the procedure has been performed externally - meaning a small incision is made on your face near your lacrimal (tear drainage) sac in order to perform the procedure. The procedure entails widening the drainage pathway into the nose in order to improve the drainage of tears into the nose.