ENT SURGERY
Nasal Polypectomy
Nasal polyps are soft, non-cancerous growths that develop in the lining of the nasal passages and sinuses. They are painless on their own, but as they grow they cause a progressively worsening range of symptoms — persistent nasal blockage, lost sense of smell, chronic facial pressure, recurring sinus infections and an overall reduced quality of life that patients often describe as living with a permanent cold that never clears.
When medications can no longer adequately control nasal polyps, nasal polypectomy — the surgical removal of nasal polyps — provides the definitive treatment that restores nasal airflow, opens the sinuses and gives patients back the ability to breathe, smell and live freely.
What Is Nasal Polypectomy
Nasal polyps are smooth, grape-like growths of inflamed nasal lining tissue that develop inside the nasal passages and sinuses. They arise from chronic inflammation of the nasal and sinus mucosa — most commonly associated with chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, aspirin sensitivity and certain immune conditions. They are not cancerous and do not become cancerous. However, as they enlarge they physically block the nasal airway and sinus drainage pathways, causing the characteristic and debilitating constellation of symptoms that drives patients to seek treatment.
Nasal polypectomy is the surgical removal of nasal polyps. The procedure uses an endoscope inserted through the nostrils to visualise the polyps directly and guide surgical instruments to remove them. There are no external cuts, no visible scars and no incisions on the face. The procedure removes the polyps and — where appropriate — addresses the underlying sinus disease that allowed them to develop, reducing the risk of recurrence.
How It Works
Nasal Polypectomy involves Five precise steps:
- Anaesthesia — Nasal polypectomy is performed under general anaesthesia at Royal Eye & Ear Hospital. You are completely asleep and feel nothing throughout the procedure.
- Endoscopic visualisation — A thin nasal endoscope is inserted through the nostril, providing magnified, high-definition visualisation of the nasal passages, polyps and sinus openings. No external incisions are made.
- Polyp removal — Using fine endoscopic instruments including microdebriders, forceps and suction devices, the surgeon carefully excises the polyps while preserving the surrounding healthy nasal tissue to minimise the risk of complications and support optimal healing.
- Sinus assessment and treatment — Where appropriate, the surgeon enlarges the sinus drainage openings and removes any diseased sinus tissue alongside the polyps — addressing the underlying sinus disease that contributed to polyp formation.
- Haemostasis and closure — Any bleeding is carefully controlled. Absorbable packing material or dressings may be placed inside the nose to support healing. No external stitches are required.
The procedure typically takes 30-60 minutes for focused polypectomy and 1.5-2.5 hours when combined with comprehensive FESS. Same-day discharge is the standard in most cases.
Why Choose Royal Eye & Ear Hospital for Nasal Polypectomy?
Nasal polyp surgery requires both surgical precision inside the nasal passages and a clear understanding of the underlying disease driving polyp formation. Here is why patients across Nairobi trust Royal Eye & Ear Hospital for nasal polypectomy.
- 🏥 Dedicated ENT Specialists We are a specialist eye and ear hospital focused exclusively on ear, nose and throat conditions. Nasal polyp surgery is a core part of our ENT surgical programme — performed with the endoscopic precision and clinical depth that effective polyp management demands.
- Experienced ENT Surgeon Our ENT surgeon Dr. Mohamed Arab has extensive surgical experience performing nasal polypectomy and endoscopic sinus surgery across two decades of ENT practice in Egypt, Somalia and Kenya.
- 📍 Conveniently Located in Nairobi Based on 3rd Parklands Avenue, we serve patients from Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, and across the greater Nairobi region.
- 💊 Full Pre & Post-Operative Care From your initial cataract assessment through to your follow-up appointments, our team guides you at every step — so you never feel alone in your care journey.
- 🔬 Post-Operative Medical Management Surgical removal of polyps is only part of the management. Long-term nasal steroid spray and, where appropriate, allergy treatment are essential to reducing recurrence risk.
Benefits of Nasal Polypectomy
Improvement in Breathing
The primary and most immediate benefit of nasal polypectomy is restored nasal airflow.
Recovery of Sense of Smell
One of the most profound and meaningful benefits for many patients. Nasal polyps are the most common surgical cause of anosmia — complete loss of smell.
Significant Symptom Relief
Nasal polypectomy provides significant relief from the full constellation of polyp-related symptoms — nasal congestion, facial pressure, post-nasal drip, chronic infection and disrupted sleep.
Reduces Recurring Sinus Infections
By removing the polyps that block sinus drainage and creating larger sinus openings, polypectomy removes the physical obstruction that was trapping mucus and creating conditions for chronic infection
No External Incisions
Nasal polypectomy is performed entirely through the nostrils. There are no cuts on the face, no visible scars and no external incisions of any kind
Same-Day Discharge
Nasal polypectomy is an outpatient procedure. You go home the same day as your surgery
What to Expect After Nasal Polypectomy
Timeline:
Day 1-2 — Immediately after surgery
Your nose will feel very blocked, congested and possibly sore immediately after surgery due to post-operative swelling and any absorbable packing placed during the procedure. You may notice bloody nasal discharge or light bleeding — this is completely normal and expected. Rest at home with your head elevated, take prescribed pain relief as directed and begin nasal saline irrigation as instructed by your surgeon.
Days 3-7 — First week
Nasal congestion and mild discomfort gradually improve as post-operative swelling settles. You may notice some improvement in nasal breathing during this period as the swelling reduces. Regular nasal saline irrigation is critical during this phase to wash away crusting, keep the operated passages clean and support healing. Do not blow your nose during the first week.
Week 2 — Significant improvement
Most patients notice meaningful improvement in breathing and a significant reduction in facial pressure and congestion. Many patients with significant pre-operative smell loss begin to notice early recovery of their sense of smell during this period as the olfactory region is unblocked. Attend your first post-operative endoscopy appointment so your surgeon can clean the nasal passages and monitor healing.
Weeks 2-6 — Recovery and stabilisation
Most patients return to normal daily activities within one to two weeks. Full recovery from nasal polypectomy can take several weeks to a few months as the sinus lining heals and remodels fully. Continue all prescribed nasal sprays exactly as directed — this is the most important factor in preventing early polyp recurrence.
Long-term — Lifelong management
Nasal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory condition. Surgery removes the existing polyp burden but does not cure the underlying inflammation that caused the polyps to form. Continued nasal steroid spray, management of underlying allergy, avoidance of aspirin and NSAIDs in aspirin-sensitive patients, and regular ENT follow-up are essential to maintaining surgical results and detecting any recurrence early.
Recovery Do's and Dont's:
✅ Use nasal saline irrigation daily — the single most important recovery action
✅ Use all prescribed nasal steroid sprays exactly as directed and continue them long term
✅ Keep your head elevated when resting, especially in the first few days
✅ Attend every post-operative nasal endoscopy appointment without exception
✅ Wear sunglasses outdoors to reduce irritation from environmental pollutants during healing
✅ Rest and avoid strenuous activity for at least one to two weeks
❌ Do not blow your nose for the first week after surgery
❌ Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen — use paracetamol for pain relief
❌ Do not do strenuous exercise or heavy lifting for at least two weeks
❌ Do not swim or expose the nose to chlorinated water for at least four weeks
❌ Do not smoke — smoking severely impairs sinus healing and dramatically increases polyp recurrence risk
❌ Do not stop nasal steroid spray after surgery — it must be continued long term to prevent recurrence
RESULTS
What Results Can You Expect?
1
Significant Symptom Relief
The majority of patients experience significant and meaningful improvement in nasal breathing, facial pressure, post-nasal drip and overall quality of life following nasal polypectomy.x
2
Recovery of Sense of Smell
Recovery of the sense of smell following nasal polypectomy is one of the most appreciated and emotionally significant outcomes for patients who have lived with anosmia.
3
Reduction in Facial Pain
Facial pain and pressure related to polyp-driven sinus obstruction responds well to surgical treatment. Pre-operative facial pain resolves significantly in most patients after polypectomy
4
Recurrence
It is important that patients understand the recurrence risk of nasal polyps before surgery. Recurrence is a well-recognised feature of nasal polyposis — reported rates vary widely in the literature, approximately 12% to 76% depending on disease severity
Risks & Considerations of Nasal Polypectomy⚠️
Nasal polypectomy is a safe, minimally invasive procedure. At Royal Eye & Ear Hospital, our ENT surgeon takes every precaution to minimise risk. As with all surgical procedures, there are some risks patients should be aware of.
1
Polyp Recurrence
The most significant consideration in nasal polypectomy. Recurrence of nasal polyps is a well-recognised feature of the condition rather than a surgical complication
2
Post-Operative Bleeding
A small risk of significant post-operative bleeding exists with any nasal surgical procedure. Most post-operative bleeding is minor and settles with pressure or absorbable packing.
3
Infection
A small risk of post-operative infection in the healing nasal and sinus passages. Prescribed antibiotic nasal drops and regular saline irrigation reduce this risk
Patient outcome note: Your ENT surgeon will discuss all potential risks clearly during your pre-operative consultation. For patients with nasal polyposis causing significant symptoms unresponsive to medical therapy, the benefits of surgical treatment consistently and substantially outweigh the small surgical risks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nasal Polypectomy
Nasal polyps are soft, smooth, non-cancerous growths that develop from the inflamed lining of the nasal passages and sinuses. They are associated with chronic upper airway inflammation — most commonly chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, aspirin sensitivity (the triad of nasal polyps, asthma and aspirin sensitivity is called Samter’s triad or AERD), and certain immune conditions.
Nasal polypectomy specifically refers to the removal of nasal polyps. FESS (Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery) is a broader procedure that removes polyps and simultaneously addresses the underlying sinus disease — enlarging the sinus drainage openings and removing diseased sinus tissue.
Nasal polypectomy removes the existing polyps and provides significant and lasting symptom relief — but it does not cure the underlying inflammatory condition that caused the polyps to form.
The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia so you feel nothing during surgery. After surgery, your nose will feel blocked, congested and mildly sore for the first week or two — similar to a bad cold.
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