Chronic Sinusitis After 4 Sinus Surgeries. Can Anything Else Be Done?

Chronic sinusitis can be chronic for a reason. Even if the sinuses are open, the mucosa may be damaged and the sinuses may not drain normally. Nasal polyps can block sinuses, and scar tissue and swelling can close off the very narrow frontal sinuses. Biofilms are a bacterial layer recently discovered in the sinuses that can damage the delicate tissue of the nose. Your doctor may prescribe "Wilson's Solution" which is a combination of saline, steroid, and baby shampoo to help wash away the biofilm. Too much surgery on the nose can cause "empty nose syndrome" that can feel like chronic sinusitis. I would get another opinion from a sinus surgery expert. Ask to see and have your CAT scans explained to you.

Thanks for your question. First I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time with this issue. You are not alone, many people experience the same frustrating recurrence of symptoms. Generally I counsel patients with severe chronic sinusitis that the best outcome is 5-10 years of decreased symptoms, managed with sprays and occasional steroids; in-between sinus surgeries. That is the unfortunate nature of this disease is that a surgery every 10 years or so is not unreasonable. It does seem as if you  are having interventions more frequently. I would recommend finding a surgeon who can also educate you regarding the ancillary treatments, such as medicated irrigations, acupuncture, and even medical cannabis. There are many "out of the box" therapies available for chronic sufferers, however it can be difficulty to find a provider who will spend the time to discuss your options with you. Hang in there and good luck. 

It depends on the  type of sinus condition you have. For those with severe pan sinusitis/polyps and Samters syndrome a perfect cure is difficult. Otherwise an evaluation and treatment by a highly trained ENT sinus specialist can sometimes find and correct the problem for once and for all  I find revision septoplasties and revision sinus cases very challenging but rewarding and have helped many with this.