Ear, Nose and Throat Care
Flowers Hospital provides care for conditions that affect the ear, nose and throat, including the sinuses, mouth, neck and related structures of the head and neck. Ear, nose and throat doctors are trained in both medical and surgical treatment, so when surgery is necessary, your ENT specialist can manage all aspects of your treatment.
Image-Guided Sinus Surgery
Many sinus operations occur near the brain, eyes, carotid artery and other vulnerable structures. The surgeons at Flowers Hospital use an electromagnetic image-guided surgery (IGS) system that displays 3D images of the patient's anatomy, as well as the precise location of the surgeon's instruments, enabling the surgeon to exercise greater caution.
What Is Image-Guided Surgery?
Similar to a GPS device, an image-guided surgery (IGS) system provides a visual road map of each patient's unique anatomy, and allows surgeons to track the position of their instruments in the patient's sinuses at all times during surgery. It does not replace surgical skill or anatomical knowledge, but offers additional information for surgical decision-making.
Why Is It Used?
Sinus anatomy can be altered by disease, previous surgery and normal anatomical variations. This can
make it a challenge for surgeons to find anatomical landmarks — even with a detailed knowledge of anatomy and surgical skill.
How Does It Work?
Before the procedure, the patient has a CT (computed tomography) scan of the sinuses. These images are transferred to the IGS system, allowing the surgeon to plan the best surgical approach for the operation. The IGS system correlates data from these CT scans with special sensors placed on the patient's head and the surgeon's instruments during the procedure. While the surgery is performed, 3D images of the patient's anatomy and the position of the surgeon's instruments are displayed in real time.