Conditions We Treat

Sinusitis
Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses (small mucus-lined spaces in the head) become inflamed, causing chronic pain and pressure in the face. The condition may be caused by viruses, bacteria or a fungus. Additional symptoms can include a runny nose, congestion, nasal obstruction, post-nasal drip, frequent throat clearing, difficulty smelling or tasting foods, dental pain, bad breath, tear duct infections, and pain and pressure over the cheek, forehead, or behind the eyes.

Certain conditions can predispose a patient to sinusitis, including immunodeficiency and autoimmune illnesses, cystic fibrosis, immobile cilia syndrome, aspirin sensitivity, and asthma.

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Treatment Options

Assessment and Medical Treatment
Assessment of chronic sinusitis includes evaluation for environmental allergies to dust or pollen. If these allergies are confirmed, immunotherapy (gradual, incremental exposure to the allergen in order to build up a protective response) may be appropriate. Other treatments may include: antibiotics, decongestants, antihistamines, oral and nasal topical steroids, saline nasal spray, mucolytic agents, and prostaglandin inhibitors.

For many sinusitis sufferers, over-the-counter medications provide adequate symptomatic relief. Stronger medications and antibiotics may be prescribed by a family physician.

Individuals with persistent symptoms despite treatment or those with recurring episodes of sinusitis, should consult an otolaryngologist.

Sinus Surgery
Patients who do not respond to treatment with medication may want to consider surgery. At Mount Sinai, our expert head and neck surgeons use CT scans to assess the sinuses. In many cases, they can then perform minimally invasive surgery through the nostrils to remove diseased tissues and enlarge the sinus openings (allowing better drainage). In a small number of patients, it may be necessary to approach the sinus through an incision in the face or the upper gum.

Patients who continue to develop sinus infections despite medical treatment and surgery should undergo additional evaluation for immune system disorders and cystic fibrosis. Intravenous therapy and additional surgery maybe recommended.

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Patient Education

Post-Operative Instructions

Directions and Parking

Billing and Insurance Information

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Our Team

Kenneth Altman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Altman has expertise in laryngology, care of the professional voice, and rhinology. After receiving his BS from the University of Illinois at Champaign, Dr. Altman went to Duke University for his MS and PhD in Biomedical Engineering prior to obtaining his MD degree. He was at the University of Pennsylvania for residency in Otorhinolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, and then completed a fellowship in Laryngology & Care of the Professional Voice at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Altman joins the Department of Otolaryngology after six years in Chicago directing the Center for Voice at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Altman has numerous research interests, including interrelation of respiratory and upper gastrointestinal tract disease, neurolaryngology, hormonal effects on the voice, and emerging treatments for vocal paralysis and glottic stenosis.


Eric M. Genden, MD, FACS
Chairman
Department of Otolaryngology
Director, Division of Head and Neck Oncology

Dr. Genden is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery and an Associate Professor of Immunobiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He graduated from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed residency training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Washington University, Barnes Hospital. Dr. Genden then completed fellowship training in microvascular surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

After completing fellowship training, Dr. Genden remained at Mount Sinai where he has served as the residency program director and chief of otolaryngology- head and neck surgery. As an Associate Professor of Immunobiology, Dr Genden leads a laboratory funded by the National Institutes of Health examining immune response and transplant immunobiology. Dr Genden has become a regional expert in head and neck mucosal immunity and diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses. His expertise in endoscopic nasal and sinus surgery has been recognized nationally. Since 1993, Dr. Genden has been a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy and a recipient of the Scholarship for research in Otolaryngic Allergy.

A respected expert in endoscopic sinus surgery and surgery of the upper aeorodigestive track, Dr. Genden has published nearly one-hundred chapters and manuscripts related to diseases of the head and neck.

Wiliam Lawson, MD, DDS
Vice-Chairman
Professor
Otolaryngology-
Head and Neck Surgery
Director, Division of Rhinology and Facial Plastics

Dr. Lawson's research interests include primary and revision rhinoplasty, facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and sinonasal and anterior skull base tumors.

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Other Resources

At Mount Sinai

Department of Otolaryngology

Minimally Invasive Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery

Other Websites

National Cancer Institute - Head and Neck Cancer (NIH)

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Contact Us

The Mount Sinai Nasal and Sinus Surgery Program
5 East 98th Street, 8th floor
New York, NY 10029

For information or an appointment, call:

212-241-9410

Or choose a physician from Our Team and make an appointment.

Click here for directions and a map.

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