Pediatric Balloon Sinuplasty in Austin, TX
Dr. Slaughter is one of the few physicians in the country that is able to perform balloon sinuplasty for the pediatric population in an office setting.
The sinuses in the pediatric population are undergoing development and growth. The natural outflow tracts are quite different from an adult patient. It is even more critical in this population of patients to obtain a cure non-surgically. Dr. Slaughter has extensive experience in using balloon sinuplasty to open up these growing sinus outflow tracts using the FDA approved pediatric sinus balloon. With this technique, there is no incisions or tissue removal so the sinuses can continue to grow and develop naturally.
What is pediatric balloon sinuplasty?
If the outflow tracts are left obstructed not only will antibiotics fail to resolve the infection but the sinuses are likely to fail to develop normally. This can lead to a lifetime of sinus issues in adulthood.
Read Blog Post: IS YOUR CHILD EXPERIENCING SINUS PROBLEMS?
What is pediatric sinusitis?
Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the sinuses. In the pediatric population, one of the most common symptoms is nighttime cough. Chronic sinusitis in kids is frequently misdiagnosed as allergies and asthma as it can have similar symptoms.
Benefits of Pediatric Balloon Sinuplasty
Dr. Slaughter pioneered the use of IV sedation in the office setting for his patients to provide superior comfort and safety. The use of IV sedation in the office can be frequently used in pediatric patients as it provides a more comfortable and familiar environment for the child. The parents are allowed to be in the room during the administration of the initial IV sedation, holding their child’s hand and providing reassurance. In some cases, the use of anesthetic gases is needed and therefore Dr. Slaughter will perform the balloon sinuplasty at a surgical center. This is more typical in the much younger child.
Signs Your Child May Benefit From A Balloon Sinuplasty
Patients who continue to suffer following medical therapy from complaints such as:
- Chronic Cough
- Congestion
- Nasal blockage
- Post nasal drip
- Sinus Pressure and headache
- Allergies
- Recurring sinus infections
- Chronic sinus infection
- Nasal Polyps
Balloon sinuplasty patient review
Read what our patients are saying!
Love!!!! My 10 year old had balloon sinuplasty Oct. 7…no sinus infections or congestion since…and this time of the year she should be so bad…she even said to me ” I can’t hear myself breath anymore”… THANK YOU!!!!! -Missy S.
Click here to read more reviews.
Balloon sinuplasty recovery
This procedure takes just minutes and kids are back to full speed without the need for recovery or pain medicine in hours. There is no packing or foreign material placed in the nose and never any bruising or swelling that accompanies traditional sinus surgery.
Balloon Sinuplasty Vs. Traditional Sinus Surgery
Balloon Sinuplasty is a non-surgical procedure with a very high success rate (97.5% in resolving the sinus issues both in the short term and long term in the pediatric patient). Because there is no incision or tissue removal, it will not alter or arrest the sinus outflow tract natural development. The successful correction of the sinusitis also helps the forming sinuses develop normally. This non-surgical technique means essentially no pain or recovery for your child. They are typically back to school and physical activity the next day. Dr. Slaughter also can use just IV sedation, making the anesthetic risks less as well.
To the contrary, sinus surgery is found to have the following disadvantages:
- Takes over an hour or more under general anesthesia at the hospital
- Surgery is more invasive and painful
- Longer recovery
- Sinus surgery has more risks
- More expensive
- Lower success rate
- Typical risks associated with general anesthesia
Sinus surgery can also alter the development of the sinus outflow tracts as well as risks of scaring and the need for further surgery.
Risks
Pediatric balloon sinuplasty is an extremely safe non-surgical procedure. As there are no incisions or tissue removal parents can rest assured that this procedure has been done thousands of times with almost no reported complications.
Schedule a Consultation
If you believe your child may benefit from pediatric balloon sinuplasty, contact our office at 512.601.0303 to schedule a consultation.
