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sinus drillout - Draf 3 concern

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Guest
Guest

Has anyone had a Draf 3 procedure where they drill the bone between the two frontal sinuses and connect the two cavities? My right frontal sinus does not drain properly and my ENT recommended this as a procedure that he could do to create more space in my sinuses to drain. I am just concerned because it seems like if I were to get an infection in this connected sinus, then it could become a "super infection" because there would be more space for bacteria to grow, rather than the bacteria being confined to one isolated sinus cavity.

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  • Vimes
    Vimes Guest

    Posted

    I hadn't heard of that procedure until you mentioned it. I have had bilateral FESS on both of my maxillary sinuses and that has improved things for me. They were both blocked by bone growth. I had worried that opening them up would potentially open them to infections. But they are now open to irrigation which means they are easy to keep flushed. I am about six months post op with the FESS surgery to my maxillary sinuses and there are still twinges of pain in those facial areas over where they are. The feeling of pain in the nose and intense pressure still happens now and again. I have very little sense of smell.

    I am due next week to have both frontal and ethmoid sinuses operated on, after a second CT scan showed them to be blocked and infected. Unfortunately it seems that irrigation does not get up into the frontal sinuses. My ENT surgeon is hopeful that once they are opened up then I'll be able to irrigate those areas as effectively as my maxillary sinuses.

    As it was explained to me the ethmoid and frontal sinus drainage is pretty poor, perhaps more so in my case as he saw thickened yellow mucous at the openings of the ethmoid ones where they were blocked, thus blocking the frontal sinuses. As he tried to look with his scope it seemed to very bad ethmoid and frontal sinus pain that evening, well for the next few days.

    AFAIK to get to the frontal sinus they have to open up the drainage "holes" from the ethmoid sinuses, which also improves the drainage...?

    I have mixed feelings overall about the surgery but I know what it feels like to have pretty constant sinus infections and symptoms where antibiotics and other treatments can be limited in their effect.

    Sometimes you feel that you are between a rock and a hard place, not having a good choice to make.

    what are your overall symptoms and how long have they been happening...?

    Good luck

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