There was a thread sometime around the end of the year about sinus surgery. Someone was going to have it, and several people wrote about their experiences with it, including the horrid packing part of it, when the surgeon inserts large amounts of gauze into the sinus cavities to stop blood flow.

I was being evaluated for the surgery at that time, and the C-scan showed I had deviated septums and polops. 

By chance, I ended up with a surgeon who does not regularly pack sinuses after surgery. Where stitches don't stop the bleeding, he lets the blood flow until it clots. His PA said he only packs if the patient has a bleeding disorder.

I've since done a little search-engine time on the subject, and this approach perhaps allows for quicker healing.

I was in very little discomfort and was able to work away a lot of the crustiness early, which helped me breath fairly normally. For the first two days I had a piece of gauze over one nostril to stop the blood from dripping.

I had the surgery around noon on a Wednesday and was actually in my home office working by Friday morning. I did have to avoid heavy lifting and strenous exercise for a couple fo weeks, but my routine was pretty normal, otherwise.

Your results, as the disclaimer reads, may vary. But I thought I'd pass this along for anyone who read that previous thread. If you're in the Jackson, Miss., area and want the name of my surgeon, contact me by email.

Bottom line: if you're facing this, ask your doctor about the non-packing approach.