If you suffer from chronic sinusitis and have run out of options, you may be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty. This minimally invasive surgery is a safe and effective method of enlarging your sinus passages for easier breathing and a drastic reduction in sinusitis symptoms.
What Is Sinusitis?
Recurrent acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis affects around 30 million Americans each year. These infections occur when the sinus opening becomes blocked, decreasing airflow and preventing mucus from draining properly. They cause cold-like symptoms that include congestion, runny nose, sore throat, facial pain and swelling, pain in the upper teeth, loss of smell or taste, bad breath, fatigue and headache.
Viral infections most often cause these conditions, though they can also occur due to nasal polyps, a deviated septum or head trauma. Medical treatment and allergy shots work for some, but others continue to suffer despite numerous attempts using various treatments. Balloon sinuplasty may be the answer.
What’s Different About Balloon Sinuplasty?
Conventional sinus surgical procedures involve cutting and excision of bone and tissue. Dissolvable packing often helps control bleeding. The average recovery period is about five days long. Balloon sinuplasty dilates (widens) the openings of your natural sinus openings without removing tissue. For that reason, it causes less pain and has a much shorter average recovery period of only about a day and a half. It rarely requires packing.
Balloon sinuplasty can be performed in the office quickly (the actual operating time is often under 30 minutes) and has a lower risk of complications or side effects. It is FDA-approved and considered a safe alternative to endoscopic sinus surgery.
How Is Balloon Sinuplasty Performed?
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure performed by Dr. Kevin Taheri right here in our office—no hospital visit required. Because the procedure is done in-office, you avoid the added cost of a hospital facility fee, making it a more convenient and cost-effective option for many patients.
On the day of your procedure, you’ll be here for approximately two hours total, which includes both the surgery and a short recovery period. You will need a driver to take you home afterward, as our anesthesia team will administer IV sedation to ensure you are relaxed and comfortable throughout the procedure.
Using a small endoscope for guidance, Dr. Taheri gently inserts a balloon catheter into the sinus passage. Once properly positioned, the balloon is inflated to widen the sinus opening and restore natural drainage and airflow. A saline rinse is often used to flush out mucus or debris, and then the balloon catheter is removed. The entire process is designed to provide lasting relief from chronic sinus symptoms without traditional surgery.
Recovery after balloon sinuplasty is typically quick—most patients resume normal activity the next day with little to no downtime. In fact, up to 95 percent of patients report significant improvement in their sinus symptoms following the procedure.
If you’ve been struggling with chronic sinus issues and want to explore a less invasive solution, schedule an appointment with Dr. Taheri to see if balloon sinuplasty is right for you.