Many specialist prescribe medication (such as antibiotics) to help relieve and treat acute sinusitis (sinus infection). There are, however, occasions when patient's infections are recurrent and/or non-responsive to medications-sinus surgery to enlarge the openings that drain the sinuses may be a viable option for such people.

In the past, sinus surgery was very invasive and often resulted in scaring or disfiguration. Modern technology, however, has greatly improved the results and effectiveness of sinus surgery. There are three main types of sinus surgery:

* Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is used to enlarge the natural openings to the sinuses and thus aid in mucus flow. A very thin fiber-optic tube, known as an endoscope, is used to provide a visual during the surgery. FESS is performed entirely through the nostrils and results in no external scarring.

* Image guided surgery is recommended for severe forms of chronic sinusitis or where a patient's sinus anatomy is very unusual. Surgeons navigate the sinus passages using image guidance, a three-dimensional mapping system that shows the exact position of surgical instruments during the surgery.

* The Caldwell Luc operation is performed to increase drainage or remove a malignancy in the maxillary sinus, one of the cavities beneath the eyes. The sinus is entered through the upper jaw above one of the second molar teeth. A passage is created to connect the maxillary sinus with the nose.

Although sinus surgery may improve your health, it is an extreme measure that should only be considered with caution. Sinus surgery is effective in improving mucus drainage but will not cure any underlying allergy or infection problems. Even after surgery, it is important to maintain a healthy environment in your upper respiratory system. This can be accomplished by regularly using a nasal wash to clean and hydrate nasal passages. If the underlying cause of sinusitis is not a malformation, using a nasal wash may even eliminate the need for surgery.