Grommets, or pressure equalisation tubes, are small ventilating tubes placed into the ear drum under local or general anaesthetic.  This surgery is performed in children and adults for recurrent middle ear infections, persistent middle ear fluid, hearing loss speech delay.

Surgical removal of the adenoids and tonsils is typically performed under general anaesthesia for sleep disordered breathing / obstructive sleep apnoea, recurrent tonsillitis, recurrent peritonsillar abscess. While pain is anticipated for up to 14 days post-surgery, the biggest risk associated with tonsillectomy is secondary bleeding, which again can occur up to 14 days post-surgery.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a condition which occurs in adults and children. It is caused by partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway and may be diagnosed clinically from history and examination, although a sleep study is the current best diagnostic test available.

In children, enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids is often a contributing factor and removing the tonsils and adenoids in children can improve and sometimes resolve OSA.

In adults, OSA is often caused by factors other than just enlarged adenoids and tonsils. The gold standard of treatment is weight loss and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, weight loss remains challenging for most, and many do not tolerate CPAP on a long-term basis. Multi-level surgery is performed by Mr Fennessy, targeting the nose, palate and tongue in certain patients who demonstrate specific clinical and anatomical features amenable to surgical intervention; this can significantly reduce the OSA severity and/or make the CPAP device easier to tolerate for patients.

International Surgical Sleep Society

Septoplasty, or “straightening” the nasal septum, is surgery under general anaesthetic that removes deviated or crooked pieces of cartilage and bone within the nasal septum. This is usually performed for nasal obstruction causing a deviated nasal septum and also for access to the sinuses during endoscopic sinus surgery. The risk of a nasal septal perforation is approximately 1%.

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) is targeted surgery performed under general anaesthesia through the nostrils using endoscopes and various instruments. FESS is used to treat recurrent acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis that has failed to settle with medical management. It is typically performed as a day-case operation.

Please note: Septal, turbinate and sinus surgery are performed entirely in the one operation.