Everything you've ever wanted to know about balloon sinuplasty

People suffering from chronic sinusitis might have a little apprehension about undergoing balloon sinuplasty, but doctors are assuring patients that it's a safe and effective way to treat long-term sinus conditions.

Balloon sinuplasty isn't scary; it's actually rather exciting. According to Healthline, it's one of the newest tools sinus inflammation specialists have in their arsenal, in which a tiny balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity and inflated in an effort to expand a patient's nasal cavities and make breathing easier. 

"This procedure is great because it not only replaces the traditional kind of Roto-Rooter sinus surgery that traditionally has been done for the past 30 years, it allows us to intervene earlier in the disease process, meaning that there may be some people with very mild or minimal sinus disease that still really affects quality of life," Dr. Brian Lee, a board-certified otolaryngologist at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center, said. 

Recovery time isn't what you might expect when "surgical intervention" crosses your mind. Patients who underwent sinuplasty during a regular doctor's visit under local anesthesia, on average, needed only 1.4 days of recovery, compared to 4.2 days for patients who had other surgical interventions, as noted by a study published in the medical journal The Laryngoscope.

"Five to 10 years ago, people would say, 'Well, it's not worth it to put you under general anesthesia and go in and scrape out your sinuses and put you all through that horrendous recovery when you know your disease isn't that bad," Lee said. "With the balloon sinuplasty, because it's so safe, it's so minimally invasive, the downtime is so minimal, it allows us to intervene even for  patients with mild disease, and to really improve their quality of life."

The Cleveland Clinic's recovery plans make no mention of nose packing with gauze or bruising; however, your doctor may recommend to avoid blowing your nose, rinse it with saline, sleep with your head elevated and avoid exerting yourself for a few days after you've had the procedure.

But will the improvements gained as a result of balloon sinuplasty last? A previous study by the medical journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation found 85% of patients still reported improvements with their sinus symptoms after two years. 

If you think you might benefit from balloon sinuplasty, take this online Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to evaluate your symptoms.

Scottsdale Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy Center is committed to providing the best sinus and allergy relief in the Scottsdale area, using the most advanced, proven patient-friendly techniques available. With 29 million Americans suffering from sinusitis and 242,000 annual chronic sinusitis ER visits, our mission is to provide minimally invasive options for needed, long-lasting relief so that patients can get back to living. We call this mission Breathe Free and Live Well, and it is the North Star that guides us in each unique, collaborative patient interaction. To learn more about Scottsdale Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy Center, please visit our website.