IMAGE GUIDED SINUS SURGERY

Image Guided Sinus is the newest technique used in endoscopic sinus surgery today. Doctors at Northern Jersey Ear, Nose Throat have trained on the system and use the system in a large portion of the cases they perform.

There are many systems on the market today. At Holy Name and at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, the hospitals that the physicians at Northern Jersey ENT utilize, they have the The Insta-Trak System. The Insta-Trak uses advanced, three-dimensional computer imaging to make the traditional endoscopic sinus surgery safe and possibly more effective.

In traditional surgery, endoscopes are used to illuminate the area inside the sinuses.
While endoscopes provide a detailed surface view, they can’t peer around corners or locate surgical instruments in relation to the anatomy.

Radiology helps surgeons make an educated guess on the location of vital areas. However, if they get too close, they could damage sensitive tissues such as the eyes or brain; if they don’t get close enough, they may miss part of the problem, such as a polyp or cyst.

With image guided surgery, a computerized model of the patient’s skull using CAT (computed tomography) scans is taken before surgery. The model acts as a road map for the surgeon. The imaging augments the surgeon’s vision by combining the advantages of a CAT scan and endoscopic imaging into a picture. A monitor shows a three-dimensional color image of a sinus surgery site while operating. An endoscope and a probe are inserted into the nostril. The probe appears as a set of cross hairs on the CT scan image on the monitor and shows the surgeon exactly where the instrument is in relation to the anatomy.

Image guided surgey is not for everyone. Standard Endoscopic sinus surgery is still the time honored treatment for most sinus surgery procedures. Image guidance seems to be helpful with extensive sinus disease, polyps and those cases where the normal anatomy is distorted either due to previous surgery or disease. . It cannot be used on patients who have electronic devices that connect directly to the brain or nervous system.