Central Texas News

• Balloon sinuplasty is a relatively new procedure.
• Of patients who receive the procedure, more than 95% see improvements of their symptoms.
• Balloon sinuplasty can improve other things, such as quality of sleep.

People of all ages all around the world suffer from a form of sinusitis, and while it may not be as detrimental as other ailments, it is something that can negatively impact a person’s life in a number of ways. Dr. Monty Trimble of Dallas Breathe Free stresses that early intervention is important as it will help improve quality of life faster.

“One thing I try to remind patients is that look, sometimes in life when you break it, it cannot be fixed,” Trimble said. “For instance, we all know that once you've had sleep apnea for several years, simply correcting the reasons that you've got the sleep apnea is not going to effectively treat that.”

He added, “The longer sinuses stay diseased, the less likely they are to recover over time because of scarring and permanent dysfunction that develops, so I always tell people if your spouse started snoring three months ago, it's probably a good idea to have them get that seen if it's not getting better. Because the longer it goes on, the more permanent that problem becomes.”

A popular procedure that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005 is balloon sinuplasty, which is also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery or "smart sinus" surgery, according to Healthline. 

Good RX reported that this has become more popular because it has lower risks and has a quicker recovery time than other sinus surgeries.

According to Good RX, the procedure can open up blocked sinuses and is an option for when medications don’t work. Otolaryngologists insert a guidewire into the nostril to access the blocked sinus. A balloon then gets inflated for a few seconds at a time, creating small fractures in the bones around the sinus to widen the passages. The balloon is then deflated and removed, and a saline solution flushes out mucus and other debris. This is often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis, where symptoms last for more than 12 weeks.

There are several types of sinusitis other than chronic sinusitis. Acute sinusitis lasts up to four weeks and can be from a viral infection or allergies. Subacute sinusitis symptoms last as long as 12 weeks and is usually caused by bacterial infections and allergies. Recurrent acute sinusitis means you have at least four episodes of acute sinusitis over the course of a year, with episodes lasting seven days or more.

Fierce Healthcare surveyed 1,000 people who had the balloon sinuplasty procedure done and found that 95% had symptoms improve. Nobody surveyed had adverse effects.

Sinusitis also can affect sleeping patterns. The National Library of Medicine reported that 60% to 75% of people with chronic sinusitis sleep poorly. According Sleep Review Magazine, people who had the sinuplasty reported that symptoms improved after just a few days, and this helped with their sleep.

If you are interested in learning more about balloon sinuplasty, please start by completing this sinus assessment provided by Dallas Breathe Free.