Columbus Otolaryngology Clinic Balloon Sinusplasty Page

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Now relief for chronic sinusitis symptoms is only an inflation away. Balloon Sinuplasty™ technology by Acclarent is a proven minimally invasive option in sinus surgery.

A New Option for Your Sinusitis Patients

"Immediately following the procedure, I noticed how well I was able to breathe. Ten months later, my sinuses are still properly draining and I’ve stopped taking nasal sprays. I haven’t stopped bragging about the results!"

- Evelyn H.

Occupation: Operating Room Nurse Manager

Years a chronic sinusitis sufferer: 20

A safe approach to effective relief

Sinusitis sufferers require over 18 million office visits and nearly 28 million prescriptions per year.¹ Medications are often effective, but for many patients, even multiple courses and use of increasingly stronger antibiotics may not be enough to relieve their symptoms of facial pain, congestion, headache, and fatigue.

For patients unresponsive to medication, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is often the next step toward finding relief. These procedures involve the removal of bone and tissue to enlarge the sinus opening, and while effective, may lead to post-operative pain, bleeding, and scarring. Full recovery can take a week or more for your patients.

Now ENT surgeons have a set of minimally invasive tools, BalloonSinuplasty™ technology that can be used to enlarge the natural opening of the sinuses, allowing drainage. Balloon Sinuplasty™ instruments are clinically proven to be safe and effective in reducing symptoms of chronic sinusitis.

Clinically supported

Published, peer-reviewed results² indicate:

· Proven Safe: no serious adverse events at 2 years

· Proven Effective: 91.6% functional patency in observed sinuses at 2 years

· Clinically and statistically significant improvement in patient symptoms³

1. Benninger M, et al. "Adult chronic rhinosinusitis: definitions, diagnosis, epidemiology, and pathophysiology."

Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. 2003, 129: S1-32

2. Long-term Outcomes of Balloon Catheter Sinusotomy. Otolaryngol Suppl 2008.

3. As reported by patients using SNOT-20.

The Balloon Sinuplasty™ Approach

Balloon Sinuplasty™ devices open blocked sinuses, restoring sinus drainage and function while preserving normal anatomy and mucosal tissue. Thousands of patients have experienced the benefits of Balloon Sinuplasty™ technology.

(Click on pictures below for enlarged view)

Gain Access to the Sinus. To gain initial sinus access, the sinus guide catheter is introduced into the nasal cavity to target the sinus ostia under endoscopic visualization. The sinus guidewire or the sinus illumination system is introduced through the sinus guide catheter and gently advanced into the target sinus.

Inflate Balloon Across Ostium. The sinus balloon catheter is introduced over the sinus guidewire or sinus illumination system and positioned across the blocked ostium. The position of the sinus balloon catheter is confirmed and the balloon is gradually inflated to open and remodel the narrowed or blocked ostium.

Remove Balloon and Irrigate Sinus. The sinus balloon catheter is then deflated and removed. The irrigation catheter is advanced over the sinus guidewire or sinus illumination system into the target sinus. The sinus is then irrigated, flushing tenacious sinus contents - like pus and mucus.

Remove System. The irrigation catheter is removed, leaving the ostium open and the sinus cleared of mucus allowing the return of sinus drainage. There is little to no disruption to mucosal lining.

How to know if your patient is a candidate

Chronic nasal congestion is one of the most common complaints seen in primary care settings. One of the most common causes is chronic sinusitis.

Symptoms include:

Facial pain, pressure
Nasal congestion or fullness
Difficulty breathing through the nose
Discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose
Teeth pain
Loss of the sense of smell or taste
Headache
Fatigue
Sore throat
Bad breath

If sinusitis lasts three months or longer, it may be chronic sinusitis, and your patient may be a candidate for treatment using the proven Balloon Sinuplasty™ technology. The team approach between primary care provider and specialty physicians can offer better quality of life for patients.