In-office Balloon Sinuplasty

sinus-surgery

Sinusitis is a common condition that affects over 37 million people each year, 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 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 and infection. This buildup can cause pain, pressure and fullness along with:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Yellow or green mucus discharge
  • Teeth pain
  • Loss of sense of smell or taste
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Sore throat

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

There are several medications available for treating sinusitis and related problems, including antibiotics, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants and saline nasal sprays. While many people can feel relief with the help of these medications, others may still experience their symptoms and have trouble enjoying regular activities.

Since many people do not respond to medication for sinusitis symptoms, a stronger treatment method is sometimes recommended. 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 it.  While traditional endoscopic sinus surgery is often indicated for more complex cases, many patients may have the option of a less invasive treatment – Balloon Sinuplasty.

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 inflated to relieve blockages in the sinus openings by gently reshaping the bony anatomy in the sinuses. The balloon is quickly removed.  This restores normal sinus function while maintaining the lining of the sinus and keeps post-operative pain and bleeding to a minimum.

This 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 avoids damaging surrounding tissue or bones
  • Safe – Balloon sinuplasty is regarded as a safe and effective procedure with no serious complications
  • Faster recovery times – Many patients return to their regular activities within 24 hours
  • Reduced bleeding – By not removing tissue or bone during this procedure, bleeding and other surgical side effects are often reduced

Balloon sinuplasty is generally performed in clinic but may also be performed under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis. The average procedure takes less than one hour to perform, and patients can return home shortly after. After balloon sinuplasty, most patients can return to work and other normal activities within 24 hours.

Most patients enjoy significant relief from their sinus symptoms after undergoing balloon sinuplasty.  Although the length of these results may vary, studies have data that shows continued improvement for 2 years after the procedure.  Since the anatomical changes are permanent, the results may last much longer than that.

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.

Risks with the balloon sinuplasty procedure are very low. It is FDA-approved for the treatment of sinus conditions and has been safely performed on tens of thousands of patients across the world.  Dr. Boole has over 10 years of experience with this procedure and has found it to be safe, convenient and effective for his patients.

Here are some testimonials from patients that have been treated with in-office Balloon Sinuplasty by Dr Boole:

“It was Awesome!  No complications, back to my regular schedule in no time.  Much better than previous sinus surgery.  I highly recommend Dr. Boole.”

“Procedure itself was not hard, Dr. Boole and staff were great.  The first 3 days after the procedure were really rough.  Sinuses have definitely improved and the procedure was worth it.”

“I had the balloon procedure, it went very well and I am very happy with it.”

“I had chronic sinusitis for a few years and always on antibiotics.  After consulting with my ENT, Dr. Boole, he ordered a CT scan of my sinuses.  I was considered a candidate for Balloon Sinuplasty.  My surgery was on May 15, 2015 in his office.

The best part about the surgery is I didn’t have to be put to sleep.  I was given pills to relax.  After about 45 minutes, Dr. Boole sprayed a numbing medication in my nose and performed the surgery.

I had bleeding for the remainder of the day and part of the next day.  I had to start irrigation of my sinuses with a salt water solution the day after surgery.  I had some pain the first 2 days, but did not take anything for pain by the third day.  On the third day after surgery, I was back performing my normal activities.

You must continue the irrigation for the sinuses each day to clean out the nasal passages as they are healing.  It has been 4 months since my surgery and I am breathing better than I have in years.  I was always waking up several times during the night and now I sleep most of the night without disturbed sleep.  I highly recommend Balloon Sinuplasty.”

“He was very professional.  The surgery went well.”

“I am very pleased!  I have felt like a different person, I have no complaints.”

“Dr. Boole did my sinus surgery 5 years ago and I have had no problems since.  Wonderful doctor.  Made everything easy and my sinus infections are gone :-)”

“He is very careful and informative.”

“Had surgery for right nostril, did very good.”

You can learn more about this procedure and if it is right for you by scheduling a consultation with one of our ENT Surgeons.

Northwest Florida Ear, Nose and Throat serves patients from Panama City, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Shalimar, Niceville, Defuniak, Crestview, Navarre, Gulfbreeze, Pensacola, Jay, Holt, Cantonment, FL and even Brewton, AL.

To learn more about our services contact our office directly 850-889-4550 .