When medical treatments fail to ease your sinusitis, you may benefit from a balloon sinuplasty. The minimally invasive procedure opens your sinus cavity and improves breathing. At ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA, the team of board-certified otolaryngologists performs balloon sinuplasty. Schedule a consultation by calling the office in Sewickley, Beaver/Vanport Township, Seven Fields, or Ohio Valley in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, or book an appointment online today.
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for sinusitis. Sinusitis is inflammation in the sinus cavity. The inflammation may block the passageway, making it hard for you to breathe through your nose. Or it may fill up with fluid, leading to congestion, a runny nose, and postnasal drip.
During balloon sinuplasty, your surgeon at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA inserts a balloon through your nose, inflating the balloon once it reaches the sinus cavity. The balloon compresses the tissue, opening the area to alleviate your symptoms.
The ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA team determines if you’re a candidate for balloon sinuplasty after a consultation. You may be a good candidate for the procedure if you have:
Though balloon sinuplasty may help some people with chronic sinusitis, the procedure works best in mild cases or for those recently diagnosed with sinusitis.
Balloon sinuplasty is an outpatient procedure the team at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA performs in the office using local anesthesia or at their endoscopic operating suite using general anesthesia.
Your surgeon determines the site of your procedure based on the type of anesthesia you need.
For the procedure, your surgeon inserts a catheter with a balloon tip into one of your nostrils, advancing it towards your sinus cavity. Once in place, your surgeon inflates the balloon, opening and widening the passageway.
Your surgeon deflates the balloon and removes it from your nose. The team sends you to the recovery area and then home. You may need to arrange to have someone drive you home afterward and plan to take it easy for the rest of the day.
You may experience mild pain and nasal drainage following balloon sinuplasty. The team encourages you to practice nasal hygiene following the procedure, using saline flushes to clear out the debris.
Recovery time varies, but you can expect to resume most of your usual activities soon after the minimally invasive procedure.
To see if balloon sinuplasty can help your sinusitis, call ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA or schedule an appointment online today.
