Technology at the ENT Institute
Balloon Sinuplasty™
The Balloon Sinuplasty™ system is a group of medical devices that are used to create openings in your sinuses. The device is gradually inflated to gently restructure the previously blocked nasal passage, restoring normal sinus drainage.
Fusion™ ENT Navigation System
Medtronic’s innovative Fusion™ ENT navigation system is an electromagnetic image-guided surgery system that offers reliable accuracy, ease of use, and expandability.

About the Fusion™ ENT Navigation System for Image-Guided Surgery
Our Fusion™ ENT Navigation System is an innovative electromagnetic image-guided surgery system. It allows you to operate with the maximum amount of information about the unique anatomy of each patient and “see” the relative location of the instrument tip in the patient’s sinus anatomy.
Image-guided surgery with the Fusion system can help make more informed decisions in the operating room for safer, more thorough procedures. The Fusion system provides:
Image-guided surgery with the Fusion system can help make more informed decisions in the operating room for safer, more thorough procedures. The Fusion system provides:
- Reliable accuracy: the first and only electromagnetic ENT system with reproducible accuracy comparable to our optical navigation systems.
- Ease of use: the first and only electromagnetic system that includes automated instrument verification, reusable instruments, multiple registration modalities, multi-instrument tracking, and customizable surgeon and procedure specific settings.
- Expandability: customize your image-guided surgery system with additional procedure modules and associated instruments.
- Reusable standard instruments: includes a set of 6 standard ENT instruments and custom tray.

Integrating Technology for the O.R.
For simple or complex image-guided surgery, the Fusion system can be used with other ENT surgery products. Our integrated technology offers a complete procedural solution and helps streamline the O.R. For example, our Straightshot® M4 Automated Tracking Blades are factory-calibrated for Fusion navigation, right out of the box.
During transnasal endoscopic skull base surgery, the Fusion system, Anterior Skull Base Burs, and MicroFrance® Wormald Instruments are designed to maximize visualization and access for anterior skull base procedures.
During transnasal endoscopic skull base surgery, the Fusion system, Anterior Skull Base Burs, and MicroFrance® Wormald Instruments are designed to maximize visualization and access for anterior skull base procedures.
Why Image-Guided Surgery Is Needed
Disease, previous surgery, and normal anatomical variations can make it a challenge to perform the safest and most effective endoscopic sinus surgery, even with a detailed knowledge of anatomy and surgical skill. Avoiding orbital injuries, entry into the brain, and the carotid artery are paramount.
Similar to a global positioning system, our Fusion™ image-guided surgery system provides real-time images that can help you navigate in the sinuses for precise removal of diseased tissue while avoiding critical areas.
Image-guided surgery has become an industry standard for many endoscopic sinus surgeries. The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) – endorses the use of image-guided surgery for procedures including:
Similar to a global positioning system, our Fusion™ image-guided surgery system provides real-time images that can help you navigate in the sinuses for precise removal of diseased tissue while avoiding critical areas.
Image-guided surgery has become an industry standard for many endoscopic sinus surgeries. The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) – endorses the use of image-guided surgery for procedures including:
- Revision sinus surgery
- Distorted sinus anatomy of development, postoperative, or traumatic origin
- Extensive sino-nasal polyposis
- Pathology involving the frontal, posterior ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses
- Disease abutting the skull base, orbit, optic nerve, or carotid artery
- CSF rhinorrhea or conditions where there is a skull base defect
- Benign and malignant sinonasal neoplasms
Whether you’re performing functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) or complex skull base procedures, our Fusion image-guided surgery system provides valuable information that can help enable a safer, more thorough procedure.
References
1. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS). Intra-Operative Use of Computer Aided Surgery. Accessed November 17, 2009.

Sinus Surgery and the Fusion™ ENT Navigation System
Medtronic’s Fusion™ ENT Navigation System is an electromagnetic image-guided surgery system that offers reliable accuracy, ease of use, and expandability.
Our high-tech “global positioning system” for sinus surgery has become the standard of care for many sinus surgeries, including revision surgery, polypectomy, frontal sinus surgery, and posterior ethmoid and sphenoid sinus surgery.
Our high-tech “global positioning system” for sinus surgery has become the standard of care for many sinus surgeries, including revision surgery, polypectomy, frontal sinus surgery, and posterior ethmoid and sphenoid sinus surgery.