Balloon Sinuplasty

Video Transcription

Balloon Sinuplasty is a tool to help open or widen the natural drainage pathways of the sinus. The goal of any sinus procedure is to improve the access or ventilation to the sinus and in some patients, to remove sinus disease. When we use Balloon Sinuplasty, it’s to improve the ability of the sinus to ventilate. A Balloon Sinuplasty tool is a device that allows us to find the natural pathway of one of your sinuses. The bright light and camera on the end allows us to confirm we’re in the right location. Once we know we’re in the right location, we advance a tiny balloon across the natural pathway and then inflate that balloon. This will spread all the tissue around that pathway outward. The balloon is a 6mm balloon so you’ll have a 6mm dilation. Once dilated, we deflate the balloon and we take out the device.

A dilation procedure, like Balloon Sinuplasty, as opposed to removing tissue, expands the pathway to a sinus. The sinus pathway is surrounded with eggshell thin bone. Once the balloon is inflated, it pushes the bone away from the pathway. When we remove the device, the area is going to heal in that new open position because of the bone. We’re literally dilating bone. It’s going to heal and it will heal in the outward position.

Before Balloon Sinuplasty devices, we would have traditionally removed partitions to open the sinus. Removing these partitions is of course more complex, there’s more involved.

Balloon Sinuplasty can be done in the office or in the operating room. Dr. Ludwick usually performs this procedure in his office. It usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes. That night you’ll feel congested. It’s still a procedure, there is some trauma and some inflammation from the procedure, and that’s why you’ll feel congested that night. You might feel a little achy. But there are no moving parts. The next day you’re pretty much back to doing all your normal activities.

It doesn’t require packing or splints or anything that you may hear of for traditional sinus procedure so all-and-all, it’s a pretty quick recovery.

We don’t remove sinuses with balloon dilation. We just improve mother nature; we’re just helping mother nature be more efficient.

You still have sinuses. So even if you have a balloon procedure, you can still get sick. You can still develop a sinus infection. Just like if you had a more traditional sinus procedure. A balloon procedure is less painful, you heal faster, it’s less risky, it’s quicker to do and a great option if you don’t have a lot of sinus disease and your main complaint is pressure and recurring infection.

If you’re having a difficult time breathing through your nose, balloon sinuplasty could be a solution. Please call our office today and let’s find out. We want you to feel better now!

To watch a Balloon Sinuplasty and Septoplasty Procedure, click here>

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