Sinus Infection Cure with Balloon Sinuplasty

Besides Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, a relatively new procedure known as Balloon Sinuplasty is becoming very popular.

Acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis are often treated with antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants and mucolytics ( prescribed for thinning the mucus).

Sometimes pain-relief drugs may also be prescribed for those those experiencing severe sinus infection symptoms such as sinus headaches in the frontal sinuses and ethmoid sinuses.

Simple home remedies for sinus infection like steam inhalation and flushing the nasal passages with saline water (nasal irrigation) can help ease these symptoms.

Saline nasal flushing can be administered by using a plastic syringe or a neti pot.

Some clinics provide a more thorough nasal cleansing system of the sinuses.

This is called the entral wash whereby a tube is inserted into the patient’s nostrils to flush it out with saline solution.

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

For many patients who suffer from severe chronic and often recurring sinusitis, there is a more permanent solution. This is medically called functional endoscopic sinus surgery (fess). This operation involves the removal of inflamed and infected tissues. It could also be adopted for expanding the sinus passages so as to achieve better drainage.

The minimally-invasive operation is done completely through the nostrils without any external incisions and a new technology known as Image Guided Systems (IGS) have allowed ENT specialists to more accurately locate the affected sinus areas which require surgery.

The use of such technology has the advantage of reducing the chances of complications during surgery. For those with facial deformities, IGS has proven to be invaluable. Most patients will recover within a week to 10 days after the FESS procedure which is often done as a day surgery.

Balloon Sinuplasty

A relatively new procedure known as Balloon Sinuplasty has emerged recently. It involves the use of a special balloon to expand sinus passages which are narrow. This is often the chief cause of sinus infection.

It involves the use of a guide wire to position the balloon at the right place. This balloon is inserted through the nostril and inflated when it is in the right position.

The advantage of this procedure is that there is no longer the need to remove tissue as in the case of Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).

The 3 steps of Balloon Sinuplasty

1. With the help of a guide wire, the uninflated balloon is inserted through the patient’s nostrils and into the sinus passage that is to be enlarged. A catheter is also used to assist the uninflated balloon along this guide wire and subsequently into the affected sinus passage.

2. With the balloon in place, it is then inflated to enlarge the narrow sinus passage in question. The enlargement is usually between 5mm and 7mm in diameter.

3. Once the narrowed sinus passage is enlarged to its appropriate size, the balloon will be deflated and subsequently removed.

The newly reshaped sinus passage will continue to stay enlarged because of the hard tissue-like material forming the sinuses.

The Balloon Sinuplasty procedure normally takes between one to two hours to complete.

If you find yourself a victim of recurrent and chronic sinus infection, then it is probably a good time to consider balloon sinuplasty or functional endoscopic sinus surgery.