Grand Canyon Times

• Balloon sinuplasty was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2005.
• The procedure can help treat chronic sinusitis with long-lasting effects.
• Balloon dilation is minimally invasive, and there's no cutting or removal of bones or tissue.

Balloon sinuplasty, which is also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure that clears blocked sinuses. It's a relatively new procedure, having been approved by the FDA in 2005. It is sometimes referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure.

Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center says a balloon sinuplasty can help to permanently open the sinuses in a minimally invasive way. 

"One of the biggest advances in our field has been the advent of something called balloon sinuplasty," Lee told Grand Canyon Times. "It's a tool that we can use to help to permanently open up the sinuses, allowing the sinuses to drain and allowing us to see if there's a chronic infection or mucus, and we can get that stuff out. This finally allows us to permanently enlarge the drainage pathways to allow patients to function better in the future. The best part about it is that we're able to do these procedures in the office under local anesthesia. There's minimal downtime, so patients are really able to get a large amount of relief relatively quickly."

According to Healthline, balloon sinuplasty is recommended for people with chronic sinusitis, after other treatments for their condition have proven ineffective. There's no cutting, no removal of bones or tissue, and reported complications are minimal.

A balloon sinuplasty is an in-office procedure that's simple and only takes about an hour, according to Entellus Medical. The preparation takes about thirty minutes and involves anesthetics being applied to the nose for more comfort. A thin instrument with a balloon is then guided through your sinus, the balloon is gently inflated for five seconds with saline, and when your sinuses open, the balloon is removed.

Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore threat, bad breath or fatigue, according to Mayo Clinic.

For more information about the symptoms of chronic sinusitis and allergies, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.