When is in office balloon sinuplasty indicated? Most individuals that suffer from chronic sinus problems such as stuffy nose, facial pain or pressure, headache or forehead pain with postnasal discharge, reduced smell with or without cough for more than 12 weeks will have been treated with medicines such as antibiotics, nasal steroids sprays, oral steroids or antihistamines prior to visiting an ENT specialist (also called Otolaryngologist) or a sinus specialist. During the visit with the specialist, a nasal endoscopy or a CT scan of the sinuses may be performed. If at this time the CT scan shows inflammation/mucosal thickening within the sinuses and/or blockage of sinus openings despite previous medical therapy, a balloon sinuplasty can be quite useful in relieving the symptoms. There are selective occasions where CT scan may show minimal disease but symptoms are significant that a balloon sinuplasty might be indicated. Also when “vacuum” type or barosinusitis headaches, unrelieved by medications, are a result of blocked sinus openings, a balloon sinuplasty may help. In office balloon sinuplasty is minimally invasive and very effective for symptom relief and often the symptoms improve within days to weeks after surgery. For balloon sinuplasty to be effective it has to be performed by a well trained and conscientious surgeon ensuring that the balloon is in the right location and not creating false passages. In the right hands and for the right indications, more than 80-90% of the patients have significant relief after surgery. Our previously posted video on results of balloon sinuplasty demonstrates how successful it is in our hands. Not only did the symptoms resolve in that individual but the CT scan showed marked resolution of inflammation in the CT scan as well.
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 05:42:52 +0000
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