Everything you've ever wanted to know about balloon sinuplasty

Balloon sinuplasty is a safe and effective way to treat chronic sinus conditions, and Dr. John Ditto is a highly trained otolaryngologist prepared to help patients find the best treatment for their condition.

"Balloon sinuplasty came out in 2005," Dr. John Ditto of the Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said. "It is a fantastic new technique because, what studies have shown is that it's as effective as traditional functional endoscopic sinus surgery. So I can perform a procedure for a patient and improve their recurrent sinusitis by using a minimally invasive technique to improve them, instead of taking them to the operating room under general anesthesia and performing a sinus bone and membrane destruction procedure, where you're removing things. Here I’m just opening things up, just allowing them to breathe."

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive medical procedure, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It was developed by sinus inflammation specialists to clear chronically blocked sinuses, a condition called sinusitis. A tiny balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity and inflated, which opens the nasal passages and helps the patient breathe better. The procedure eliminates the need for cutting tissue or the removal of bones

A significant majority of patients find that sinuplasty means a faster recovery, less pain and no cutting of tissue, particularly for patients who underwent the procedure during a regular doctor's visit under local anesthesia. According to the medical journal The Laryngoscope patient recovery, on average, was only 1.4 days, compared to 4.2 days for patients who experienced other surgical interventions. This means fewer days missed from school and work, fewer acute infections, fewer antibiotic prescriptions and fewer visits to the doctor’s office. 

Recovery requirements are limited, according to the Cleveland Clinic. After the procedure, a patient needs to avoid blowing their nose and rinse the nose with saline. If you suffer from congestion, elevate your head to sleep. Finally, patients who've had a balloon sinuplasty should avoid exerting themselves for at least a few days.

A study in the medical journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery found that 85% of balloon sinuplasty patients reported fewer sinus blockages, even two years after having the procedure.

If chronic sinusitis is a problem for you, then consider balloon surgery as an option and take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.

Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers are committed to providing the best sinus and allergy relief in Central Virginia and beyond, using the most advanced proven, patient-friendly techniques available. With 29 million Americans suffering from sinusitis and 242,000 annual chronic sinusitis ER visits, our mission is to provide minimally invasive options for needed, long-lasting relief so that patients can get back to living. We call this mission Breathe Free and Live Well, and it is the North Star that guides us in each unique, collaborative patient interaction. To learn more about Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, please visit our website.