Is Balloon Sinuplasty Right for You?

The term balloon sinuplasty, or even balloon sinus dilation, may be unfamiliar to most people. If you struggle with ongoing sinus symptoms, though, you may have come across one, if not both, of these procedure descriptions. Balloon sinus dilation is one of the most conservative sinus procedures designed to address chronic sinus pressure and pain. These symptoms usually stem from a more advanced stage of sinusitis. You may be well aware of your symptoms and the impact they have on our life, but you may still question if they are severe enough to warrant a procedure like balloon sinuplasty. Here, we discuss how this procedure works and the benefits it offers. 

How Balloon Sinuplasty Works

As the name implies, balloon sinuplasty is a procedure that involves the use of small balloons to resolve sinus issues. How? By gently expanding the swollen sinus passages. Expanding the sinuses helps them drain more efficiently so you can breathe easier. To perform balloon sinuplasty, the doctor administers a topical anesthetic into the nasal passage, followed by a small tube with a balloon on the end. Once the tube is positioned at the proper location, the doctor slowly inflates it to compress outward against swollen sinuses. Patients receive immediate relief from this process that takes only a few minutes. 

Best Candidates For Balloon Sinuplasty

Patients with sinusitis are generally good candidates for balloon sinus dilation. There are four “types” of sinusitis, acute, subacute, chronic, and recurrent. Balloon sinuplasty may be most appropriate for those with chronic sinusitis symptoms. Chronic sinusitis is described as pressure, pain, congestion, and inflammation that persist for 12 weeks or longer with very little improvement using medications and other remedies. 

Benefits Of Balloon Sinuplasty

One of the most prominent benefits of balloon sinuplasty is that the procedure is non-surgical and also minimally-invasive. The recovery period is very short, lasting only a few days. Patients usually feel an immediate sense of relief from pain, pressure, and congestion after their balloon sinus dilation. The improvements achieved with this procedure may not last forever, but studies suggest that for the vast majority of patients, results can last about 2 years. 

Why Choose St. Louis Sinus Center for Balloon Sinuplasty

Dr. Gould is an internationally recognized expert, developer, and researcher of In-Office Balloon Sinus Dilation techniques. Dr. Gould and the St. Louis Sinus Center are recognized as a National Center of Excellence for this procedure, and we frequently host surgeons interested in observing this technique. 

To schedule your consultation for balloon sinus dilation, contact us at 314-582-0888.