Sinus Surgery:  Cost and Experience

    My last sinus surgery was in 1999.  Here is a summary of the costs associated with that surgery:

$15,843 -- surgeon's fee for 40 minutes of surgery.
$660 -- anesthesia
$81 -- lab services
$379 -- pathology
$4,824 -- use of the surgical center
$ ? -- miscellaneous other charges that I forget.

I did not have to pay a single penny, as I had already satisfied the maximum copayment under my insurance plan -- I had another surgery earlier in the same fiscal year.

    Here, from the Gardens list, of all places, is a note from another sinus patient. I agree that the person considering sinus surgery should investigate the downside of sinus surgery, and it does involve a couple or three days of absolute misery -- but consider the potential benefits too. As I have noted elsewhere, I intend to avoid a fourth surgery as long as possible, but I anticipate having to have it done again once my polyps protrude so far into my nose that I cannot breathe through my nose at all. By the way, removing the packing was never bothersome for me -- it did not hurt, and I was damn glad to have it taken out of there.

To: Multiple recipients of list GARDENS <GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU>
> If your sinus infections are nasty and recurring, you may choose to go under
> the knife (laser). But before you do, e-mail me. I had it done in October -
> my headaches are gone, but the whole experience was the worst thing I've
> ever lived through, (plus two weeks away from work) and I didn't have enough
> warning of just how bad it was gonna be. I now feel it's my DUTY to fill in
> those who are in line for this surgery.

    I have had sinus surgery too-unfortunately, that's a fairly vague term for a lot of different procedures. None of them are fun, as you say, but depending on the severity of the illness, they may still be the thing to do. Untreated, recurrent sinus infections can lead to brain and eye infections, causing permanent damage, and can erode the bones of your face like acid. Not pretty either.

    Typically you either restructure your nose through deviated septum correction and adding new drainage passages between sinuses and into the nose, or you remove obstructions, especially nasal polyps, that are blocking existing passages. Sometimes this includes reducing or removing your turbinates, naturally occurring projectile tissue into your nose and sinuses.

    None of this surgery is fun-most of it must be performed under general anesthesia with all the side effects and risks therefrom. Since you are working close to the brain, eyes, nerves, and major blood vessels, there is potential for accidental damage there. The worst after-effect is "packing" the operated sinuses with a thin gauze strip like spaghetti, to help reduce bleeding and keep everything open. *Un*packing though, involves reeling these yards and yards of that stuff out through your nose-it's terrifically painful and gory.

    But again, every surgery is like this-just that most folks go in rather uneducated.
--
Amy Moseley Rupp
Austin, TX, zone 8b
Jill O. *Trades, Mistress O. {}