Balloon Sinuplasty^™

Chronic Sinusitis Options

If you appear to suffer from chronic sinusitis, your primary care doctor is likely to refer you to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT doctor). Your ENT doctor will determine the best sinusitis treatment plan for you. Typical treatment begins with medication, which may include:

Antibiotics
Nasal steroids
Decongestants
Mucus thinning drugs
Oral steroids

Treatment may also include natural remedies, including nasal washed and rinses.

However, healthcare professionals may find it difficult to treat the majority of chronic sinusitis sufferers with medication. It is estimated that at least 20% of chronic sinusitis patients are not successfully treated with medical therapy. ^1-3

Balloon Sinuplasty (BSP)

Balloon Sinuplasty – an innovative procedure
Today, there is an innovative procedure used by ENT doctors to treat patients with recurrent acute or chronic sinusitis. Balloon Sinuplasty uses a small, flexible balloon catheter to open inflamed sinuses. The balloon catheter is placed into the nose to reach the inflamed sinuses, and gradually inflated to restructure the previously blocked sinus passage.

Unlike conventional sinus surgery, Balloon Sinuplasty preserves the normal anatomy of the sinuses and mucosal tissue, and does not require the removal of bone and tissue. Clinical studies have shown that the procedure is safe and effective (4,5). For some patients, the Balloon Sinuplasty procedure is now conducted in the doctor’s office, under local anesthesia.

Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS)

A common surgical option for clearing blocked sinuses is endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), which removes bone and tissue from the nose to enlarge the sinus opening. This removal of bone and tissue may require uncomfortable nasal packing after surgery and may lead to post-surgery pain and scarring.

Since 2005, more than 375,000 patients have had Balloon Sinuplasty procedures.

Conventional sinus surgery no longer has to be the only option for chronic sinusitis patients who are not responding well to medications. Balloon Sinuplasty is a safe, clinically proven, and minimally invasive procedure that opens sinus passages to restore proper sinus drainage and function. This helps to relieve the pain and pressure associated with chronic sinusitis.

1. Subramanian, H., et al. A Retrospective Analysis of Treatment Outcomes and Time to Relapse after Intensive Medical Treatment for Chronic Sinusitis. Am J Rhinol 2002; 16(6): 303-312.

2. Hessler, J., et al. Clinical outcomes of chronic rhinosinusitis in response to medical therapy: Results of a prospective study. Am J Rhinol 2007; 21(1): 10-18.

3. Lal, D., Scianna, J., Stankiewicz, J. “Efficacy of targeted medical therapy in chronic rhinosinusitis, and predictors of failure.” Am J Rhinol Allergy 23, 396-400, 2009.

4. Weiss RL, Church CA, Kuhn FA, Levine HL, Sillers MJ, Vaughan WC. Long-term outcome analysis of balloon catheter sinuotomy: two-year follow-up. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2008; 139:S38-S46.

5. Levine HL, Sertich AP, Hoisington DR, Weiss RL, Pritikin J, for the PatiENT Registry Group. Multicenter registry of balloon catheter sinusotomy outcomes for 1,036 patients. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol, 2008; 117(4):263-270.

For more information about Balloon Sinuplasty visit balloonsinuplasty.com.

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