Innovations in Microdebrider Technology and Design
The microdebrider has been one of the most significant innovations in the field of rhinology. The use of this instrument for endoscopic sinus surgery offers the advantages of mucosal preservation,…
Local Drug Delivery
Topical drug delivery for sinonasal disorders is influenced by a variety of factors. Macroscopically (or anatomically), the ability of the drug to reach the appropriate region of the paranasal system…
Cranial-Base Repair Using Endoscopic Laser Welding
As the scope of transnasal cranial-base surgery expands, reconstruction of the complex residual defects remains a challenge. Laser welding is a novel technology that can be performed endoscopically and offers…
Technical Advances in Rhinologic Basic Science Research
Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is the single most common self-reported chronic health condition in the United States and is estimated to affect 16% of the adult population annually. Despite the prevalence…
Virtual Simulation in the Surgical World
Surgical simulation technology has advanced significantly in recent years. Medical-simulation validation studies have established that surgical skills honed using a simulator significantly improved trainee performance by decreasing operating times, improving…
Technologic Innovations in Neuroendoscopic Surgery
Neuroendoscopic surgery encompasses minimally invasive approaches to the skull base using endoscopic techniques. There are unique technologic challenges with endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery, such as a limited working space,…
Balloon Dilatation of the Paranasal Sinuses: A Tool in Sinus Surgery
Chronic sinusitis affects millions of patients. Balloon technology is a tool that has enhanced the surgeon’s ability to treat patients suffering from chronic sinusitis. Three companies have developed products to…
Stents and Drug-Eluting Stents
Synechiae and ostial stenosis are common and troublesome complications following endoscopic sinus surgery. Many investigators have advocated the use of stents to minimize the risk of postoperative stenosis while others…
Advances in Absorbable Biomaterials and Nasal Packing
Absorbable biomaterials are commonly used after endoscopic sinus surgery, both for hemostatic and wound healing considerations. Although removable nasal packing is the traditional method of controlling ongoing bleeding and modulating…
