How is anesthesia administered for nasal polyps?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on April 10, 2025
00:00
00:00

Nasal polyps are a relatively common ENT disorder, and if there are numerous polyps with clear clinical symptoms and conservative drug treatment is ineffective, surgery should be considered. Currently, the primary procedure is endoscopic nasal polyp removal, which is a commonly used minimally invasive surgery. Generally, the level of pain experienced by patients is not particularly significant. Therefore, in terms of anesthesia, it may be suitable to consider either general anesthesia or local anesthesia. If the nasal polyps are not particularly severe and the patient has a good tolerance, local anesthesia can be considered. However, if the condition is more severe and symptoms are clearly pronounced, it is generally advised that general anesthesia might be a better option.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
58sec home-news-image

What does it mean when nasal polyps bleed?

Nasal polyp bleeding mainly has three causes. One reason is that the nasal polyp damages the structure of the nose. Since nasal polyps are a space-occupying lesion, they gradually enlarge, compress the nasal structures, and damage the mucosa and blood vessels of the nose, which can lead to nasal bleeding. The second reason is that the nasal polyp itself may be a bleeding necrotic nasal polyp. This type of bleeding necrotic nasal polyp is very prone to bleeding, and even minor injuries or damage can lead to bleeding. The third reason is that bleeding necrotic nasal polyps might be a manifestation of the disease. As the nasal polyp enlarges, if such an enlarged polyp becomes lodged in a sinus opening or in the nasal cavity, it can lead to ischemic necrosis, which after occurring, can cause bleeding. In summary, these are the three main cases.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
41sec home-news-image

Can nasal polyps be seen with the naked eye?

Nasal polyps can be visible to the naked eye, but this is only in cases of more severe nasal polyp patients. In some severe cases, the polyps grow into and protrude from the nasal cavity, at which point a pale white, lychee-like polyp neoplasm can usually be seen in the nostril. For patients with nasal polyps, blockage of the nasal passages can cause symptoms such as nasal congestion, headaches, and runny nose. At this time, functional endoscopic sinus surgery can be used to remove the polyps from the patient's nasal cavity, thereby restoring normal ventilation function of the nasal passages, improving symptoms of sinus obstruction, and achieving a cure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
1min 8sec home-news-image

Postoperative precautions for nasal polyps

Nasal polyps are a common disease in otolaryngology, head, and neck surgery. The primary treatment for nasal polyps is functional endoscopic surgery to remove them. After the surgery, it is important to keep the following in mind: First, it is important to keep the nasal cavity clean. Clean the nasal cavity daily with saline solution and use some medications for treatment. Second, regularly visit the hospital to have the nasal cavity cleaned by the surgeon who performed the operation. Typically, the surgeon will instruct when to return for a follow-up visit, or schedule an appointment. Third, for nasal polyps, surgery is not the end of the treatment. It is generally necessary to continue daily medicinal treatment of the nasal cavity. Immediately after the surgery, it may also be necessary to take anti-inflammatory medications, such as roxithromycin or clarithromycin, for treatment. In summary, treatment and nasal cavity cleaning must continue even after surgery for nasal polyps. (Note: Please use medications under the guidance of a clinical doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
48sec home-news-image

Is the nasal polyps spray effective?

Some patients find nasal polyps effectively treated with sprays, and this largely depends on the extent of the specific lesion. If the nasal polyps are relatively mild, localized, and the clinical symptoms are not particularly severe, most patients could consider using conservative treatments first to see the results. The common conservative treatment is nasal sprays, generally corticosteroid sprays. Their main function is to reduce nasal polyps and alleviate inflammatory responses. Overall, many patients find effective results following standardized medication treatment. If the conservative medication treatment is ineffective and the nasal polyps are extensive, surgery might be considered as a necessity. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
2min 8sec home-news-image

Is minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps painful?

We often talk about the minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps, which is the most common procedure of endoscopic nasal polyp removal that we use today. This type of surgery does not only remove the nasal polyps, but also the root of the polyps and even opens up the sinuses. This is crucial for eliminating the cause of the nasal polyps and is very important for preventing their recurrence. Although it is a minimally invasive surgery, it can still be quite painful. After the surgery, both nostrils need to be packed. If the packing material is absorbable, such as Nasopore, the discomfort might be less because after the surgery, one just needs to wait for the packing to gradually dissolve into a mucus-like substance and get expelled. However, if expandable sponges or even gauze strips are used, these materials need to be removed after several days. Removing these materials can cause significant pain for the patient. During the period of packing, the patient can also experience a lot of discomforts such as headaches, dry throat, discomfort in the eyes, tearing, and even some might feel foggy in their ears and uncomfortable while eating and drinking, along with other painful symptoms. Additionally, after the minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps, regular follow-up cleanings are necessary. The purpose of these follow-up cleanings is to timely clear out any blood clots or secretions from the nasal cavity and sinuses, aiding the recovery of the mucous membranes in these areas and also preventing the short-term recurrence of the nasal polyps, which is a very important part of ensuring the effectiveness of the surgery. Thus, these procedures can induce a certain amount of fear and pain for the patients, but before performing these surgeries and examinations, doctors generally engage in thorough discussions and provide comfort to the patients, advising them not to be too nervous. The actual discomfort is temporary and will pass after enduring it for just a few days post-surgery.