THE CENTER FOR SINUS & ALLERGY
The Sinus and Allergy Center of the New York Head and Neck Institute is committed to provide comprehensive and state of the art care to our clients. Our faculty has expertise in diagnosing and treating the myriad of conditions that can adversely impact the nasal cavity and surrounding sinuses. These conditions if left untreated can severely impact the quality of life and overall health of the sufferer. Most people never think about how important the proper and normal functioning of their nose and sinuses is to their enjoyment of life and sense of well-being until something impairs it. Loss of sense of smell, impairment of taste, inability to sleep normally, poor work performance, and shortness of breath are just some of the symptoms of nasal problems, which can be very disconcerting when someone has allergies or cold. Most people experience these problems transiently, but the patient with chronic sinus and nasal conditions will suffer until a correct diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment instituted. At the Sinus and Allergy Center, we have brought all of the expertise to determine the cause of the problem as well as treat the underlying cause under one roof. We also have board certified allergists whiich simplifies the process of obtaining a consultation when indicated. This helps to assure that your condition is accurately diagnosed, making the correct therapeutic plan custom tailored for every patient.
The Center has a 3D imaging conebeam scanner on-site for the benefit of our clients. This scanner was specifically designed for scanning the sinuses and adjacent structures. It utilizes up to one fifteenth the radiation dose that a traditional scanner would use to get the same information. The scans can usually be accomplished during a regular office visit and an appropriate treatment plan instituted immediately rather than beginning therapies empirically or after an off-site scan is obtained. Additionally, our patients benefit by not having to make multiple visits to get and then review a scan with the additional time away from work and co-payments that entails.
Conditions
That We Treat
Treatments
Surgical Therapy
Many of the conditions that affect the sinuses and nose are amenable to medical therapy. Others involve anatomic issues that need to be corrected before normal nasal and sinus function can be restored. The Sinus and Allergy Center has a wealth of experience in the surgical management of sinonasal disease.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Endoscopic sinus surgery is a technique that was brought from Europe to the United States approximately 25 years ago. It has become the mainstay of surgical treatment for chronic sinusitis as well as anatomic abnormalities that can cause recurrent acute sinusitis. Endoscopic sinus surgery is a minimally invasive technique which uses endoscopes to visualize the paranasal sinuses while specially designed instruments are used to remove abnormal tissue and widely open the sinus openings. It is typically accomplished in a one to two hour surgery in the hospital. The patient is typically discharged the same day without swelling or scars. Typical follow-up involves weekly visits to the physician’s office to inspect the sinus cavities to be sure they are healing as expected. The patient will typically be able to go back to work five to seven days after the surgery.
Image Guided Surgery
Image guided surgery involves loading the images from a CT scan of the sinuses into navigation equipment in the operating room. At any time during the procedure, the surgeon can use a probe to touch a structure within the nose or sinuses. The navigation system will show exactly where the probe is on the previously loaded CT scan. This minimizes the risk of complications and can allow for more complete opening of the paranasal sinuses. It is particularly useful in patients who have previously had surgery where the normal landmarks may be absent or distorted. Any scan taken on the Sinus and Allergy Center’s conebeam scanner can be utilized for image-guided surgery.
Balloon Sinuplasty
Balloon sinuplasty is a technique where the natural openings to some of the paranasal sinuses can be opened by endoscopically inserting a catheter into the sinus. The catheter contains a balloon that is inflated after proper positioning is confirmed. This will dilate the natural ostium of the sinus without removing mucosa. This allows for less scarring and faster healing. It is appropriate for select patients with chronic sinus disease.
Nasal Septal Surgery
The nasal septum in the wall made up of bone and cartilage that speperates the left and right sides of the nose. When the septum is off to one side or has spurs obstructing the airway, surgical correction of the septum may be indicated. The procedure is typically done through an incision within the nostril. It does not change the patient’s appearance or result in any external scars. It is often done in conjunction with other sinus procedures.
Inferior turbinate Surgery
The inferior turbinates are bony structures that run along the floor of the nose which are covered with a lining which can swell and shrink. When the ling is overly swollen for long periods of time, obstruction of the nasal airway will be the result. When this does not respond to medical therapy, surgical correction can be considered. This can be done in the operating room and is often done at the time of endoscopic sinus surgery or nasal septoplasty. It can also be done in the office using and ELMED bipolar device. This procedure can be accomplished in 15 minutes under local anesthesia and allows the patient to resume normal activities immediately afterwards.
Conebeam Technology
CT scans are a cornerstone of evaluation of sinus and nasal conditions. Most CT scans done at hospitals or radiology facilities are done in scanners that are multifunctional. The scanners are used to evaluate the chest and abdomen as well as the sinuses. Imaging these larger and denser parts of the body requires the CT scanner that uses higher doses of radiation. Therefore many people who have sinus CT scans on these machines are unnecessarily exposed to a higher radiation dosage than necessary to get the information needed.
Helpful Links
http://www.entellusmedical.com/
Physician
Dr. Eric Cohen
St. Luke's
- Roosevelt Hospital Centers
Attending Faculty Department of Otolaryngology
Clinical Assistant Professor, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
Clinical
Offices
Head and Neck Surgical Group
425 W. 59th Street Tenth Floor
New York,, NY 10019
212-262-4444
110 East 59th Street, Suite 10A
New York, NY 10022
Telephone: 212-223-1333
Yosef P. Krespi, MD, FACS
Co-director, The Center for Sinus and Allergy
Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology
Director: The Center For Sleep Disorders
Head & Neck Surgery,
Ear, Nose & Throat
Medicine/Otolaryngology
Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology
Columbia University College
of Physicians and Surgeons,
New York, NY
Clinical
Offices
425 West 59th Street, 10th floor
New York NY 10019
(212) 262-2929
fax: 212-523-8168
(1-800) NY-NYENT
110 E. 59th St.
Suite 10A
New York, NY 10022
phone: 212-223-1333
fax: 212-223-7117
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