No one should live with sinus pain, headaches or blocked nose. If medications, rinses or allergy shots don’t provide relief, then speak to your physician about surgical intervention to open up the sinuses and clear away debris from them.
Balloon sinuplasty is an outpatient procedure involving no cutting or bone removal; making it the optimal option for chronic sinusitis patients.
Less Pain
If your chronic sinus symptoms aren’t responding to medications, nasal sprays and antibiotics prescribed by your physician, balloon sinuplasty could be an ideal way to address them. This minimally invasive surgery enlarges sinus passages to allow easier breathing while significantly decreasing symptoms.
Recent research compared balloon sinus surgery with traditional sinus surgery for treating chronic sinusitis patients. Patients undergoing balloon sinus dilation saw significantly better results, as measured by objective DNE and CT-PNS scores, including reduced blockage and inflammation of sinuses as well as less frequency of infections and nasal congestion.
The FDA has authorized this safe and effective technology to treat sinus conditions quickly and simply, with minimal to no recovery time required afterwards. Devices used are soft and flexible and enter through your nostrils completely; because it doesn’t involve cutting bone or tissue removal, pain levels during surgery are greatly reduced while there’s less bleeding afterwards.
Your ENT will insert a small balloon catheter into the inflamed sinus cavity and gently inflate it. This restores an open passageway to drain away naturally, relieving symptoms. Following the procedure, he or she will remove the balloon catheter so your sinus passage returns to its usual size.
Within an hour after having the procedure performed, many patients report experiencing relief in their symptoms. It’s an ideal way to obtain much-needed relief without resorting to drugs and sprays which may have side effects.
Are you suffering from sinus congestion and headaches that won’t go away? It might be time to visit Mount Sinai. Our ear, nose and throat surgeons specialize in innovative options for treating chronic sinusitis; we can find one that gives you long-term relief. Contact us now to make an appointment; our specialists would be more than happy to answer your questions and determine whether balloon sinuplasty might be suitable.
Less Bleeding
Traditional sinus surgery typically involves cutting and extracting bone and tissue from sinuses in order to open them up, while Balloon Sinuplasty is a minimally invasive process which does not involve such actions, leading to less bleeding, bruising and swelling post-procedure as well as decreased risk of infection and shorter recovery timeframe than traditional surgeries.
Patients may experience some post-procedure bloody drainage for the first few days after their procedure; this will gradually lighten over time and diminish in color. To manage any discomfort effectively, take over-the-counter pain relief medications like ibuprofen or Tylenol for added support.
At this outpatient procedure, our surgeon inserts a small catheter into your sinus and inflates a balloon to gently clear out blockages. This approach is much safer than traditional sinus surgery since no general anesthesia is necessary and performed in our office.
Your sinuses play an essential role in protecting you against pollutants, dust and other particles that could threaten your health by producing mucus which usually moves to the back of your throat where it can be swallowed. When blocked by swelling, irritation or infection they cannot drain properly causing build-ups of mucus and pus which leads to the sinuses becoming inflamed and swelling up leading to chronic sinusitis with symptoms such as headaches, stuffy nose, post nasal drip, snoring and more – symptoms that could plague sufferers!
People living with chronic sinusitis often find relief through medical therapy and treatments; however, for those experiencing severe or persistent symptoms, medical therapy alone may not provide lasting relief; surgery can often offer lasting relief and restore normal quality of life for these individuals.
Balloon sinuplasty was proven incredibly effective in a two-year study analyzing patient progress over time. Researchers found that patients in this research experience significant improvements just a week after their procedure and remain symptom-free a year later, while also benefiting from healthier sinus passages and mucus membranes along with preserved bones.
Less Recovery Time
Patients undergoing balloon sinuplasty typically notice immediate relief of symptoms after the procedure and can return to work or other regular activities as quickly as the next day. While discomfort or mild pain from sinus surgery may arise, this can usually be managed with over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. Patients should avoid blowing their nose for at least a few days to reduce further inflammation, while sleeping with their head elevated will facilitate healing and drainage.
Sinuses are hollow air-filled spaces within the skull located between the eyes (ethmoid sinus), forehead (frontal sinus), nose (sphenoid sinus) and cheek bones (maxillary sinus). Lined with mucus secreting cells that trap germs and pollutants in our breath, sinuses act as filters by filtering our air intake. However, when their lining becomes inflamed it blocks passageways to drain mucus away which leads to sinus infections; sometimes chronic ones resulting in chronic sinusitis.
Prior to balloon sinuplasty’s creation, chronic sinusitis was only treatable through Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). This required cutting and removal of bone and tissue and required general anesthesia with hospital or surgery center stay required for this surgery procedure. By contrast, balloon sinus surgery does not involve cutting or removal of tissues but instead uses local anesthesia in a doctor’s office and typically takes less than an hour for completion.
At the core of sinus procedures is a small catheter – filled with saline solution – placed into an affected sinus cavity. Once filled, this balloon is removed, leaving the sinus openings free to drain naturally without the long recovery times associated with FESS surgery. This method is an ideal option for patients who have medical insurance that will cover this procedure as it offers relief without complications associated with FESS surgery recovery time.
Before making a decision about balloon sinuplasty, it’s wise to discuss all available treatment plans with an otolaryngologist, particularly if any complicating conditions such as allergies or immune system disorders exist.
Less Risk of Infection
Many individuals are experiencing chronic sinus infections that cause ongoing discomfort and diminish quality of life, making life miserable for some people. Over-the-counter medicines or surgery may not always work to manage symptoms effectively – yet many patients have discovered that balloon sinuplasty (BSP) offers safe and effective relief to chronic sinus issues not responding to other treatments.
This FDA-cleared procedure entails inserting a catheter with a sinus balloon into a blocked sinus passageway to open blocked passageways and restore normal sinus function without cutting or removing tissue. Once in place, the balloon enlarges sinus passageways for drainage of fluids before being taken away after doing its work. This streamlined technique causes less bleeding, swelling and pain than traditional functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) performed under general anesthesia at an outpatient surgical center or hospital.
Your doctor will begin by administering local or general anesthesia before inserting an endoscope – a thin tube equipped with lights and cameras on its end – into your nose in order to reach sinus passages. When they arrive at the sinus cavity, a catheter with an inflatable balloon attached will be advanced along an endoscope wire until reaching it and slowly inflating, fractureing its walls slightly in order to force open an opening in your sinuses.
After your procedure, it is recommended to sleep or rest with your head elevated in order to facilitate sinus drainage and healing. In addition, you will be provided saline nasal rinses to regularly use in order to cleanse out and lubricate your sinuses – this can reduce any discomfort during the healing process.
Chronic sinus infection symptoms such as pain, pressure, and headaches can be debilitating and those who experience these symptoms regularly are at a greater risk for serious complications including chronic sinus infections, sinusitis, and nasal polyps. Many patients who try over-the-counter medications or surgery fail to fully address their sinus issues and may require more invasive therapies like FESS for complete relief.
