Contents
We deal with common diseases during colds.
In the current epidemiological situation, many hospitals are converted into hospitals for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Redesigned medical institutions have suspended scheduled patient visits and operations, while the number of illnesses in people has not decreased. Including problems that need to be addressed to an otorhinolaryngologist. Especially for the readers of Wday.ru, otorhinolaryngologist, head of the otorhinolaryngology clinic of the European Medical Center, Yulia Selskaya, spoke about the most common ENT diseases, their causes and methods of treatment.
K. m. N., Otorhinolaryngologist, head of the clinic of otorhinolaryngology of the European medical center
Difficulty nasal breathing is the most obvious sign that it is time to see an otorhinolaryngologist. The causes of this symptom can be various disorders, among which are often curvature of the nasal septum, acute recurrent sinusitis (sinusitis), chronic tonsillitis and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Causes of ENT pathologies
Often, the causes of ENT pathologies vary depending on the type of defect.
Curvature of the nasal septum, for example, occurs in both children and adults. However, as a rule, most babies have a flat nasal septum from birth. In the process of growing up and the formation of the facial skeleton, defects often occur, injuries occur, due to which the septum can bend. Also, breathing problems can worsen during or after physical activity, when a person needs to replenish oxygen reserves, but he is not able to do this.
The causes of the most dangerous type of snoring are apnea, that is, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) can be both malocclusion and disturbances in the area of the nose, nasopharynx, laryngopharynx. You can help identify the source of your snoring comprehensive examinations – cardiorespiratory monitoring and polysomnography. These studies allow us to identify problems that a person experiences during sleep.
The causes of the most dangerous type of snoring are apnea, that is, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), can be both malocclusion and disturbances in the area of the nose, nasopharynx, laryngopharynx. You can help identify the source of your snoring comprehensive examinations – cardiorespiratory monitoring and polysomnography. These studies allow us to identify problems that a person experiences during sleep.
Prolonged inflammation of the tonsils (chronic tonsillitis) contribute to both infections and hereditary predispositions. Allergies, unstable immunity and even caries can also cause this disease. Getting on a diseased tonsil, the infection lingers in the lacunae, that is, in the depressions that penetrate the thickness of the tonsils. Food debris and bacteria enter the deformed lacunae.
One of the chronic inflammations of the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses is sinusitis… The causes of inflammation can be both congenital and acquired pathologies of the nasal cavity. Bacterial or viral infections, allergic rhinitis also provoke the onset of sinusitis. If you notice a loss of smell and taste, headache, weakness, and most importantly, the discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose, most likely an inflammatory process is present.
Methods of correction and treatment of pathologies
1. Correction of the curvature of the nasal septum possible with the help of surgical intervention – septoplasty… This operation is recommended for patients over 18-20 years old, since from this age the facial skeleton is considered fully formed. However, children can also undergo septoplasty if they have severe curvature of the nasal septum, which worsen the child’s health. During the operation, curved fragments of the nasal septum are removed or moved. All manipulations are carried out inside the nose, so there are no marks on the skin. In the process of septoplasty, it is possible to correct the accompanying problems, which is why an endoscopic examination of the nasal cavity and computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses are necessary before the operation. The examination data allow us to identify problems in addition to the curvature of the nasal septum and give doctors the opportunity to correct them during septoplasty.
2. Surgical treatment of apnea is indicated for uncomplicated snoring and apnea of mild to moderate severity. Severe forms of these pathologies are contraindications to surgical intervention. There are 3 areas of surgical treatment for sleep apnea and snoring.
The first is soft palate correction.
The second is the prompt elimination of nasal pathologies. This includes the correction of the nasal septum, turbinates, sinuses.
The third is a combination of these techniques.
3. Tonsillitis is diagnosed during consultation and visual examination (the specialist detects adhesions of the tonsils with the arches), as well as according to the results of laboratory tests (the doctor looks at the markers of streptococcal infection).
Upon detection acute tonsillitis assigned antibiotic therapy.
RџSЂRё chronic form diseases, it is recommended to remove the contents from the lacunae of the tonsils using:
Rinses и course of drugs.
Also assigned physiotherapy – ultraviolet irradiation and ultrasound in the submandibular region.
If such methods do not have the desired effect, it is recommended to resort to surgical intervention – removal of tonsils.
One of the possible surgical methods for the treatment of chronic tonsillitis is radio wave fulguration of tonsils… It consists in applying a high-frequency electric current to cauterize tissue without direct contact of the electrode with the tissue.
A modern high-tech method can also be used – robotic assisted tonsillectomy… Removal of tonsils in this way is carried out with pinpoint accuracy thanks to a modern robotic system and endoscopic video equipment.
3. The classic treatment for sinusitis is medication.prescribed by a doctor. However, unfortunately, this method often proves its ineffectiveness, since the symptoms go away only for a while, and the disease goes into a chronic stage.
An innovative and effective approach to the treatment of sinusitis at the moment is functional endoscopic sinus surgery… This direction of treatment involves balloon sinusoplasty. The procedure minimizes the risks of blood loss, trauma, postoperative complications and violations of the natural anatomy of the sinuses. During balloon sinusoplasty, without damaging the mucous membrane, specialists open the inflamed sinuses, insert a balloon catheter there, then inflate it and use special solutions to wash the sinuses from pus and mucus. After rinsing, the instrument is removed from the cavity.
Rehabilitation period
1. As a rule, the postoperative period after septoplasty in hospital lasts 1-2 days… The patient can then go home. Normal breathing is restored within 7-10 days. During the rehabilitation period, it is recommended to refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol, physical and thermal stress, not to blow your nose too much, and also not to remove tampons within XNUMX hours after the operation. This will minimize the risk of bleeding.
2. Apnea surgery are performed under general anesthesia. The rehabilitation period is about xnumx weeks… In addition to surgical interventions for the treatment of snoring, it is possible to use intraoral splints or CPAP therapy… This therapy consists of creating positive pressure, which helps to restore airway patency. During sleep, the patient wears a mask that is connected to a device that creates positive pressure.
3. The tonsils are removed using modern anesthetics. This not only contributes to a comfortable operation for the patient, but also provides a quick recovery period.
4. The rehabilitation period after balloon sinusoplasty on average is one daywhile after classic surgery the patient needs to recover from three to five days.