What is Sinusitis?
Sinusitis occurs generally when an inflammation of the lining of the sinuses causes them to become filled with fluid. This can also cause an infection and can be recurrent, often referred to as Chronic Sinusitis. This condition affects over 30 million Americans.
What is Balloon Sinuplasty?
Patients who have trouble with chronic and recurrent sinusitis often have blocked sinus pathways that can prevent effective drainage, airflow, and healing from an infection. If medications and first-line treatments have failed to help relieve symptoms and inflammation in the past or if patients experience multiple episodes of sinusitis, Balloon Sinuplasty, another name for Balloon Sinus Dilation, may be an appropriate treatment option for them.
This procedure gently expands sinus openings and drainage pathways to restore airflow, aid with drainage, and helps to heal. After locating the treatment area and applying local anesthesia, a physician will place the small balloon in the nose, inflate the balloon to dilate the treatment area, and then deflate and remove the balloon.
How does Balloon Sinuplasty help with treating sinusitis?
The objective of the procedure is to clear blocked nasal passages and restore normal sinus drainage. Minimally-invasive, Balloon Sinuplasty can be performed in the office in a relatively short amount of time. It has a high success rate in most patients, who have reported a drastic improvement in their sinus symptoms after the procedure.
How long does Balloon Sinuplasty take?
The length of time you'll experience for the procedure depends entirely on your particular diagnosis. Your ENT will be able to determine if you're an appropriate candidate for this procedure.
Once approved, Balloon Sinuplasty typically takes less than 1 hour when performed in-office. If you are selected to have an out-patient procedure, it may last longer (around 3 hours, including post-op)
What is the average patient recovery time for Balloon Sinuplasty?
Typically, since it is a minimally-invasive procedure, balloon sinus dilation patients experience a short recovery time, some are even able to resume normal activity (school, work, daily activities, etc) within 24 hours.
How successful is the Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?
Yes. 96% of patients undergoing a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure have reported a drastic improvement in sinusitis symptoms. Learn more about Balloon Sinuplasty and the results of this procedure by visiting the FAQ page on balloonsinuplasty.com.
What are the risks of Balloon Sinuplasty?
Balloon Sinuplasty is less invasive than traditional sinus surgery and has a low complication rate. As with any medical procedure, potential risks and complications also exist.
Possible side effects include, but are not limited to, post-operative bleeding; pain and swelling; allergic reaction to anesthesia or other medications administered during the procedure; or infection. There is also a small risk of mucosal/tissue damage from the expansion. Make sure to consult with your doctor to determine if your condition presents any special risks.
Will I have to use anesthesia during the Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?
While this varies from patient to patient, most of our patients do undergo the procedure with general anesthesia. The procedure is less invasive than traditional sinus surgery: unlike conventional surgery, there is no cutting to remove bone or tissue from the nose.
Will choosing the Balloon Sinus Dilation procedure help to stop snoring?
Balloon Sinus Dilation is a proven and safe technology to relieve obstructions associated with chronic sinusitis. While it does address sinus disease, it would not be expected to affect snoring.
Does Medicare pay for Balloon Sinuplasty?
Most insurance companies and Medicare cover Balloon Sinuplasty if considered medically reasonable and necessary. To be certain of your level of insurance coverage, contact your insurance provider to find out your specific policy.
