SC Connecticut News

• Almost 29 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic sinusitis.

• Balloon sinuplasty is less invasive, carries and a lower risk and has a shorter recovery period than traditional sinus surgery.

• Average recovery time for a balloon sinuplasty patient is one to two days.

Chronic sinusitis currently affects 28.9 million Americans, or roughly 11% of the adult population, and is linked to over 4.1 million doctor visits and more than 230,000 visits to the emergency room, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, Dr. Robert Weiss of the CT ENT Sinus Center recently said that balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive surgery that may help alleviate these concerns, particularly when compared to earlier techniques used to treat sinus problems.

"It was developed to be able to take a balloon catheter, place it in the clogged sinus and unclog the sinus," Weiss told SC Connecticut News. "What that allowed us to do is to be able to open up blocked and clogged sinuses in a way without requiring surgery because we're not removing any tissue. We're simply dilating and remodeling and opening those blockages."

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) averages between one and a half and two hours, and patients may require approximately four weeks to completely recover, during which they should refrain from engaging in vigorous activities such as exercising.

In contrast, a balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes, and patients normally recover within one to two days.

"Usually, most of our patients are back to wherever the routine is -- whether it's work, being a parent or being retired -- within 24 to 48 hours," Dr. Weiss said. "I'd say that's the vast majority of the experiences."

According to Dr. Bradley Eisemann of Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center, the majority of patients are able to resume regular activities within this time frame, though they may endure minor swelling for up to a week.

"It's not like we're in there very long, but there are a lot of benefits afterward," Weiss said.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) reports that chronic sinusitis is among the most prevalent chronic medical ailments amongst Americans and can negatively impact an person's quality of life.

The NCBI compared patients who had FESS to those who opted for balloon sinuplasty and determined that, while both treatments are beneficial, balloon sinuplasty patients required fewer antibiotic treatments following their surgeries.

FESS requires the removal of sinus tissue, whereas a balloon sinuplasty is "less traumatic," as it does not involve tissue removal and instead depends on dilatation to enhance sinus function.

If you're interested in learning more about diagnosis or treatment of chronic sinusitis, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.