Am I a Candidate for Balloon Sinuplasty?

Recently the FDA has approved a new technique for opening the sinus passages. This technique involves inserting a small catheter through the normal sinus passage and then inflating a balloon which then widens the passage. This technique is analogous to angioplasty which is used to open the major blood vessels around the heart. The benefits of this minimally invasive procedure are that it reduces recovery time with reduced risk of bleeding and other possible complications.

Indications for balloon sinuplasty are similar as for other forms of sinus surgery. Mainly, patients experiencing recurrent episodes of sinus infections requiring numerous courses of antibiotics and time off from work are choice candidates. By widening the opening to the sinuses, we are finding a reduced number of infections along with a reduced severity of the infections, which means less time off from work or school.

Balloon sinuplasty does have some limitations. Patients with severe sinus disease such as nasal polyps or fungal sinusitis will often require the more traditional endoscopic techniques to remove disease. All of our physicians are trained and certified for use of balloon sinuplasty as well as traditional endoscopic techniques including use of image guidance technology. Please feel free to schedule an appointment to discuss these options and your candidacy for surgery. For more information about balloon sinuplasty, check out www.balloonsinuplasty.com. Please contact the ENT Specialists for more information or to leave any comments.