Balloon Sinuplasty (BS) is a sinus surgery technique used to open nasal passages and sinus cavities under general or local anesthesia in hospitals, surgery centers or doctors’ offices.
This minimally invasive procedure offers an alternative to Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) by extracting tissue and bone. Often painless and with reduced bleeding and swelling after-effects.
Damage to the Nerves
Nerve damage is an incapacitating issue that impedes on one’s ability to function normally. If symptoms of nerve damage emerge after having undergone balloon sinuplasty, it is vital that they notify their physician immediately; severe cases may require surgery as treatment options.
Balloon Sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small balloon to widen drainage pathways in your sinuses, leading to improved breathing and reduced symptoms associated with sinusitis. It’s safe and effective way of treating chronic or recurrent sinus infections which haven’t responded well to other treatments.
Dr. Kuperan administers this procedure under local anesthetic. Prior to starting, your physician will scan the area using a computerized tomography (CT) scanner in order to get a clear picture of your nasal anatomy and facial structure to help determine whether you are suitable for treatment.
Once the doctor is familiar with your condition, they will insert an endoscope into your nose before inserting a catheter and wires into your sinus passages. The endoscope transmits images back to a monitor in the surgery room that helps the doctor guide and position the catheter appropriately before inflating a balloon to ensure proper drainage from your sinuses.
Balloon sinuplasty may be beneficial to many patients, however it should not be performed on those suffering from CRSwNP. This condition involves cysts and polyps that form frequently within and obstruct the sinus ostia and nasal cavity and cannot be effectively treated through traditional surgical means.
After your procedure, it’s important to rest and avoid strenuous activities for several days post-surgery. Sleep with your head elevated while minimizing drainage for optimal results and comfort; over-the-counter medication may also be taken as needed for pain or discomfort management.
Balloon sinuplasty may offer long-term relief from chronic sinusitis; contact our team of specialists at the Southern California Sinus Institute now to determine whether this treatment might be right for you.
Loss of Sensation or Numbness
Balloon Sinuplasty can cause nerve damage that is temporary in nature; this complication is extremely rare when performed by a qualified ENT doctor. Any noticeable discomfort following the procedure should be relieved with pain medication or applying heat directly on to the area that has been affected. A patient experiencing numbness or tingling should contact their doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis; various tests such as blood and urine testing, CT or MRI scan of their head/spine as well as nerve conduction studies may help identify its source.
Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS), until recently, was the only viable solution for chronic sinus issues that did not respond to over-the-counter medications or home remedies. FESS is conducted under general anesthesia in a hospital or surgery center and takes weeks of recovery time before returning to daily life. Balloon Sinuplasty offers an noninvasive alternative which can be performed under local anesthesia at a physician’s office; it’s quick, safe, and has a higher success rate than FESS.
For this procedure, a patient will sit in a reclining examination chair while being given topical decongestant spray before having their doctor insert a catheter with light at its tip into their nasal passages and guide an inflatable balloon through them to their sinuses – clearing any blocked drainage pathways and then being removed afterwards.
After their procedure, patients may experience some mild bleeding for one or two days following treatment; this is completely normal and will usually go away quickly.
Numbness experienced after this procedure can be caused by trauma to sensitive tissues and nerves inside the nose, disrupted by this treatment. Most often, however, this short-lived sensation subsides quickly within days or weeks; for patients experiencing symptoms that persist beyond this timeline it would be wise to schedule an appointment with an ENT specialist immediately.
Loss of Ability to Breathe
Sinuses may become inflamed and blocked, limiting airflow and making breathing more difficult – potentially even leading to loss of smell or taste sensations. Luckily, these symptoms will only last temporarily; soon after treatment by sinusuplasty. Sinuplasty is an efficient and safe surgical option to address chronic sinusitis.
Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinus lining swells, blocking its opening and trapping mucus inside. This leads to painful symptoms such as frequent infections, headaches and jaw pain – as well as sleep apnea which has serious health implications for people living with cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure.
Traditional Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) entails extracting tissue and bone to clear the sinuses, an invasive procedure performed under general anesthesia at a surgery center or hospital that can be quite painful. Balloon Sinus Dilation provides an alternative, less invasive solution with greater effectiveness: balloon sinon dilation.
FDA-approved balloon sinuplasty procedures utilise similar technology as that employed by interventional cardiologists to safely dilate blocked arteries. This procedure can be performed in the office under local anesthesia with less bleeding and bruising occurring as a result of these procedures.
First, an area is numbed using topical anesthetic. Next, a specialized endoscope is used to locate the area of interest. Following this step, a catheter with a small balloon attached is then inserted and inflated until inflamed sinus passageways open up enough for clear passageways – after which this balloon can be deflated and removed, while your sinus passageways remain open.
Patients experiencing symptoms associated with sinus issues often report dramatic relief after Balloon Sinuplasty procedures; X-rays reveal healthier and more open sinuses; studies have even shown that 96% of patients were symptom-free after just one year! For these reasons and many more, our 10 locations offer consultations today so we can see if our safe and effective Balloon Sinuplasty solutions could benefit your condition.
Loss of Sleep
Those living with chronic sinusitis understand the significance of getting quality rest. Failure to do so may result in headaches, nosebleeds and sinus pressure as well as increased snoring frequency that compromises quality of life and health. Many resort to over-the-counter remedies like saline rinses, nasal steroids, antidepressants or decongestants; however these may have unwanted side effects or become less effective over time; should this not provide relief, you could consider more invasive surgery such as functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).
While FESS can have high success rates and be fairly invasive in terms of pre and post op procedures, balloon sinuplasty offers a less invasive solution with more limited pre and post-op procedures required. Performed by an otolaryngologist in a clinic’s procedure room under local anesthesia or light sedation. After inserting an endoscope containing camera and light into a nostril, they slowly advance a slim, flexible balloon catheter over its wire to the sinus cavity where it will slowly inflate it to widen sinus passageways while improving drainage of mucus build-up.
Balloon sinuplasty procedures typically take less than an hour to complete, unlike traditional surgeries that may require weeks or months for recovery and have greater risks in terms of cutting tissue or bone as well as increased bleeding. Furthermore, no cutting of tissue or bone and less bleeding occur with balloon sinuplasty than traditional approaches.
If you’re suffering from chronic sinusitis and are looking for relief, contact our office immediately to see if balloon sinuplasty might be right for you! We offer free consultations where Dr. Kuperan will evaluate your medical history and conduct a sinus examination to ascertain if balloon sinuplasty would be suitable for you.
