Balloon sinuplasty

"What's wrong, Renee?”

Tom found Renee sitting at her desk with her head in her hands.

"Ugh," Renee said. "I can't shake this sinus infection. It's been months and my head aches. I'm stuffed up and my face actually hurts. The doctor gave me medication, but nothing helps."

Renee is likely suffering from chronic sinusitis. Sinusitis is a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages, or sinuses, become inflamed and swollen, preventing normal mucus drainage. Mucus accumulates and causes symptoms such as a stuffy nose, swelling around the eyes and face, facial pain and headaches.

When sinusitis recurs or lasts for more than eight weeks despite medical treatment, it's considered chronic sinusitis. Fortunately, the experts at Columbus Otolaryngology Clinic can offer a breath of fresh air for those suffering from chronic sinusitis.

Innovations in sinus surgery

If noninvasive medical treatment doesn't offer relief, our doctors may recommend surgery to widen the nasal passages and restore normal drainage. New technology makes this surgery an effective and minimally invasive means of treating chronic sinusitis.

Balloon sinuplasty: One option for patients suffering from chronic sinusitis is balloon sinuplasty. Using an endoscope for guidance, a doctor inserts a balloon catheter into the nasal passages. By gently inflating the balloon, the doctor can restructure and widen the nasal passages without cutting away any nasal tissue.

Benefits of balloon sinuplasty include:

Minimal bleeding.
Quick recovery.
Less discomfort.
Low risk.
Effective reduction of sinusitis symptoms.

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery: Another option is functional endoscopic sinus surgery, or FESS. During FESS, the doctor inserts a thin, fiberoptic endoscope into the nose. Using the endoscope to see and magnify the nasal passages, the doctor can locate and remove obstructive tissue and widen the sinuses to restore normal mucus drainage. Unlike traditional sinus surgery, FESS is minimally invasive and:

Leaves no external scar.
Causes minimal discomfort.
Has a low complication rate.

Image-guided surgery: With many of the same advantages as FESS, image-guided surgery offers the added benefit of being safer for people with unusual sinus anatomy. During most endoscopic sinus surgeries, doctors rely on "landmarks" to orient their instruments within the nasal passages. If the sinus anatomy is atypical, those landmarks may not exist.

Image-guided surgery uses computed tomography (CT) scans of the sinuses to provide a map of the nasal passages. With that map and an endoscope, surgeons can precisely maneuver instruments within the nasal passages to pinpoint and relieve obstructions.

Find relief here

If you suffer from the discomfort of chronic sinusitis, a visit with one of our otolaryngologists (ear, nose and throat doctors) may help you breathe a sigh of relief. We can evaluate your condition and help you find the best treatment solution. Call 402-562-4720 or visit our Columbus Otolaryngology Clinic page.