Anesthesia for functional endoscopic sinus surgery: a review

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is a common head and neck procedure.
• Effective anesthetic management is crucial for successful FESS outcomes.
• Various anesthetic techniques exist, requiring careful consideration for patient safety and surgical success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and discuss different anesthetic techniques for FESS.
• To highlight the importance of tailoring anesthetic plans to individual patient and surgical factors.
• To outline key anesthetic goals for FESS.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of local versus general anesthesia.
• Comparison of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) versus endotracheal tube (ETT) for airway management.
• Review of inhaled anesthesia versus total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA).

Main Results:

• Anesthetic plans should be individualized based on patient comorbidities, surgeon and anesthesiologist experience, and personal preferences.
• No single technique is universally superior; selection depends on multiple factors.
• The choice impacts surgical field quality and patient physiological status.

Conclusions:

• Optimal anesthetic management for FESS is multifactorial.
• Goals include achieving a clear surgical field and maintaining patient cardiorespiratory stability.
• Individualized anesthetic strategies are key to successful FESS outcomes.