More than nine out of 10 patients say they would have a balloon procedure again. | File photo
More than nine out of 10 patients say they would have a balloon procedure again. | File photo
If your sinuses are swollen and inflamed for three months or more, even with treatment, that is defined as chronic sinusitis, the Mayo Clinic said.
For many patients, it could also be called chronic misery.
“This common condition interferes with the way mucus normally drains, and makes your nose stuffy,” the Mayo Clinic said. “Breathing through your nose may be difficult, and the area around your eyes might feel swollen or tender.”
Fortunately for patients, a new treatment has arrived that can provide permanent relief. It’s called balloon sinuplasty and it involves inserting a catheter into the sinus, inflating a tiny balloon to open the sinus and then deflating the balloon.
“It's a minimally invasive procedure that we do in the office,” said Dr. Daniel Mongiardo, who has Sleep and Sinus Centers in Lexington, Hazard, London and Somerset. “The recovery time is almost zero, patients are back to doing whatever they want to do the next day.”
The success rate is much greater than the alternative, endoscopic sinus surgery, Mongiardo said.
“The success rate published in the literature for endoscopic sinus surgery is around 70-72%,” he said. “For balloon sinuplasty, it's upwards of 90%. It's that type of advancement that's really been exciting to see patients not have to suffer the recovery time after the procedure.”
A study found 91% of patients would have a balloon procedure again, compared to only 49% of those who had endoscopic sinus surgery
Dr. Daniel Mongiardo Sleep & Sinus Center has an online sinus quiz for those who want to evaluate their symptoms.
Alerts Sign-up