Grand Canyon Times

Balloon sinuplasty is an outpatient procedure in which a catheter with a balloon attached is inserted into the sinus cavity. The balloon is slowly inflated, opening blocked sinus passages, then deflated and removed, allowing the patient to breathe better.

This procedure is most often recommended for patients suffering symptoms associated with allergies, acute or chronic sinusitis or   rhinosinusitis, according to Healthline. But the procedure can also be effective in treating patient issues and complications unrelated to acute or chronic sinusitis or rhinosinusitis.

Alexis Webb, who was not presenting or suffering from symptoms of sinusitis, has become a unique patient having experienced a balloon sinuplasty and its benefits.

“I had a dental procedure done, and they told me I have a big mass on my  face," Webb, a patient at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center, told Grand Canyon Times. "They told me that I needed to go to an ear, nose and throat specialist because it was on my sinus, not my tooth. They found it through an X-ray of my teeth. The dentist was cleaning my teeth and he said, 'I'm not going to touch anything until you get this figured out because it looks scary.'"

Dr. Brian Lee, a physician at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center, performed a CAT scan that revealed Webb's nose was swollen and “everything inside was swollen.” Lee informed her that it was in fact a cyst, or a mucus buildup, but the cyst could be drained using the balloon sinuplasty procedure.

“I  didn't have any feeling from it, but then when I was in there, they said, 'It's a good thing you came in, because you are almost in sinus failure,'” Webb said.       

The balloon sinuplasty was successful.

“Because it's quick, you don't have to be put out, so that's good. And (Dr. Lee) was awesome, he is super chill, he was quick," she said. "I think I can breathe better because they ballooned up my sinus cavity, it helped to open it up, so my breathing is better out of my nose.”

According to an the American Sinus Institute, nearly 37 million Americans suffer from at least one episode of acute nasal inflammation each year.

Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Rhinosinusitis or sinusitis affects women more than men, affecting 17% of women and only 10% of males.

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, was approved by the FDA in 2005. It is a procedure where a tiny balloon is inserted through the nostril into the sinus and expanded, permanently opening the sinuses. The procedure has proven to be highly effective in treating patients who have symptoms such as postnasal drip, chronic congestion, chronic sinusitis, sinus headache pain, thick and yellow grainy nasal discharge, nasal congestion, stuffy nose, facial pain and pressure.

According to the American Journal of Rhinology, 91% of patients would have a balloon procedure again, while only 49% of functional endoscopic sinus surgery patients would have the procedure again, proving how effective and minimally invasive a balloon sinuplasty is.

According to Webb, the largest benefit from the procedure is better breathing overall. “Just breathing, I can breathe better. I think I breathe out of my mouth often and I don't realize, so I think just breathing out of my nose has been better,” she said.

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