Can severe sinus issues be treated with the new Balloon Sinuplasty technology?
- Posted on: Aug 13 2019
Can severe sinus issues be treated with the new Balloon Sinuplasty technology or does it require the patient to have traditional sinus surgery?
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Below is the before picture of a patient with a very severe sinus issue. The sinus cavities should be black, meaning-filled with air when healthy. As you can see, this patient has all sinus cavities completely filled with a grey color, which is a severe infection. This patient also had a severely deviated septum leaning to the right, causing additional nasal airway blockage. They also had polyps filling the nose further blocking the nasal airway. The turbinates, the structures in the nose that filter and warm the air, were also severely swollen. This severe chronic sinus infection and associated structural issues were persistent despite aggressive medical therapy and a previous failed sinus surgery.
I performed Balloon Sinuplasty to open the sinus cavities. I also performed a cyclone lavage, which allows the sinus cavities to be washed out while an antibiotic solution was instilled. I adjusted the nasal septum back to the midline, removed the nasal polyps, and shrunk the swollen nasal turbinates. This procedure took about 20 minutes as an office procedure under the comfort and safety of IV sedation, provided by an anesthesiologist. Appropriate medical therapy was given after the procedure as well to assist in healing.
Below is the post-operative CT scan.
As you can see, every sinus cavity is now black or healthy and filled with air. The nasal septum is midline and the nasal airway is very much improved, with the successful removal of polyps and the shrinking of the nasal turbinates.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have been told your sinus issue is “too severe” for Balloon Sinuplasty or that your structural issues prevent the surgeon from using Balloon Sinuplasty technology, do not believe it. This minimally invasive technique is the best next appropriate step after medical therapy has failed to resolve your sinus issues. Contact us today at 512.601.0303 to schedule an appointment!
Tagged with: Balloon Sinuplasty
Posted in: Balloon Sinuplasty, Sinus and Nasal