Sinusitis is a common condition that affects over 37 million Americans, causing pain, pressure and congestion in the forehead, nose, cheek and eye area. Over 17 percent of women and 10 percent of men in the US are affected by sinus problems. These problems can be temporary and develop as the result of a cold, or may be long lasting and exist for months to years with no relief from the troubling symptoms.

The sinuses are the hollow air spaces behind the bones of the upper face, which can become blocked and inflamed to cause a buildup of mucus or pus. This buildup can cause pain, pressure and fullness along with:

   • Difficulty breathing through the nose
   • Yellow or green mucus discharge
   • Teeth pain
   • Loss of sense of smell or taste
   • Headache or head feeling full
   • Fatigue
   • Sore throat

Sinus problems often affect patients’ quality of life and interfere with regular activities. If you are suffering from persistent sinus problems, it is important to meet with us or your primary doctor and discuss your treatment options.

Sinusitis may be treated with antibiotics, oral steroids and/or nasal steroid sprays, decongestants and saline nasal sprays. While many people can feel relief with the help of these medications, others may continue to experience their symptoms and have trouble enjoying regular activities.

For those that do not respond to medication for sinusitis symptoms, treatment includes endoscopic sinus surgery or balloon sinuplasty. Endoscopic Sinus Surgery is a traditional treatment option that clears blocked sinuses by placing an endoscopic instrument in the nose to examine the area and remove bone and tissue to enlarge the sinus openings. This procedure requires general anesthesia in the hospital or a surgery center, and bleeding/scarring may accompany this.

Balloon sinuplasty is an FDA-approved advanced treatment option to relieve the symptoms of chronic sinusitis. This minimally invasive procedure uses a thin, flexible balloon catheter that is placed in the nose and gradually inflated to relieve blockages in the nasal passage by gently restructuring the bones in the nose. It restores normal sinus function while maintaining the lining of the sinus and keeps post-operative pain and bleeding at a minimum. Balloon sinuplasty procedure offers patients many benefits as an alternative to conventional sinus surgery. Some of these benefits include:

   • Minimally invasive – The soft, flexible tube gently opens sinus openings and reduces damage to surrounding tissue

       or bones compared to standard endoscopic sinus surgery.
   • Safe – Balloon sinuplasty is regarded as a safe and effective procedure. Complications are quite infrequent.
   • Faster recovery times – Many patients return to their regular activities within 24-48  hours
   • Reduced bleeding – By not removing tissue or bone during this procedure, bleeding and other surgical side

       effects are often reduced

Balloon Sinuplasty can be performed in the office under local anesthesia with or without IV sedation or IV anesthesia depending on severity of disease. After balloon sinuplasty as a stand alone procedure, most patients can return to work and other normal activities within 24-48 hours.

Most patients enjoy significant relief from their sinus symptoms after undergoing balloon sinuplasty. We have found that even in the most severe disease, patients find significant relief after balloon sinuplasty or standard endoscopic sinus surgery.

While balloon sinuplasty is an effective treatment for relieving many sinus problems, it is important to note that not everyone can benefit from this procedure. Balloon sinuplasty does not treat ethmoid sinusitis or nasal polyps, and cannot be used on patients with extensive scarring within their sinus openings.

In Office Balloon sinuplasty is FDA-approved for the treatment of sinus conditions and has been safely performed on thousands of patients across the world.