Minimally invasive procedure called Balloon Sinuplasty provides welcome relief to sinus sufferers.
Seasonal changes often bring painful sinusitis from pollen, allergies, colds or worse. Yet, while congestion may be prevalent, how do you know if the sinusitis is chronic and it’s time to see a physician?
“If you’ve been treated for a sinus problem two or three times in a row; your symptoms have been present for longer than 10-12 weeks; and you have increasing pain above, between or behind the eyes or behind the cheekbones, you may need to see a buy an essay cheap specialist,” advises Dr. Michael Tomek, a board-certified Otolaryngologist with ENT Professional Services, PC, Davenport.
More than 37 million Americans suffer with the headaches, congestion, fatigue and other symptoms of sinusitis each year. Traditionally patients are treated with medical therapies such as antibiotics and topical nasal steroids, or conventional sinus surgery that requires bone and tissue removal to open blocked passageways. Now there is a less invasive option known as Balloon Sinuplasty that is offered in the Quad Cities through ENT Professional Services and the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center.
The Balloon Sinuplasty™ system by Acclarent™ uses a small catheter and balloon to quickly open and expand blocked sinuses. (This technology is similar to what’s used in angioplasty.) The procedure allows doctors to place a small, flexible balloon catheter through a nostril into the blocked sinus passageway. The balloon is then inflated to gently restructure and open the sinus passageway,
restoring normal sinus drainage and function.
“The procedure offers a great alternative to the conventional surgical removal of tissue and bone, allowing patients to resume normal activities within 24 hours with significant relief from their symptoms,” says Dr. Tomek, who, along with Dr. Douglas Dvorak, performs the outpatient procedure in the Quad Cities. Balloon Sinuplasty is often performed under general anesthesia at the Mississippi Valley Surgery Center; however, Dr. Tomek also has treated certain patients at ENT’s physician offices under local anesthesia.
“The impact of chronic sinusitis on a person’s quality of life can include throbbing facial pain or pressure, headaches, bad breath, irritability, fatigue or nausea, and pain in the upper teeth. Patients who suffer from chronic sinusitis and are not responding well to medications should ask about Balloon Sinuplasty to determine if the procedure is right for them,” he adds.
Published clinical studies(1) (2) have shown that sinus symptoms improved in 95 percent of patients who had Balloon Sinuplasty in the operating room at an average follow‐up period of 9 months, and significant improvement in patient symptoms was observed out to two years.
1 Levine, et al. Multicenter Registry of Balloon Catheter Sinusotomy Outcomes for 1,036 Patients, Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 2008, Vol. 117, pp. 263‐270.
2 Weiss, et al. “Long‐term outcome analysis of balloon catheter sinusotomy: Two‐year follow‐up.” Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery, 2008, Vol. 139, pp. S38‐S46.
