Balloon Sinuplasty

A State-of-The-Art Procedure for Chronic Sinusitis

Treatment of chronic sinusitis is in the midst of a paradigm shift, with the introduction of balloon sinuplasty, a method developed by Acclarent (Web site), a U.S. company. We are finally able to use a less invasive technique that enables successful and permanent regeneration of chronically inflamed sinus mucous membranes.

The main principle applied in balloon sinuplasty is similar to cardiac procedures used in coronary stenting. Therewith, surgeons have demonstrated how to open narrowed coronary arteries using balloons. With balloon sinuplasty, blocked sinus passageways are accordingly expanded again using a sinus balloon catheter. This restores sinus drainage, without the need for removal of mucous membrane or bone. Scar tissue does not form because there is virtually no wound present. Rather, the ENT specialist creates favorable ventilation by gently repositioning and widening bony structures under intact mucosa. Thus, inflammatory secretions drain directly from the enlarged sinus cavities and the mucous membrane lining regenerates itself again through the newly created canal.

The procedure is an outpatient surgery under general anesthesia, with the added benefit that nasal packing is not necessary. Generally, one may return to work the next day. We perform the surgery in our outpatient clinic. Approximately 10,000 patients, primarily in the United States, have meanwhile undergone this procedure without any reports of adverse effects or complications.

The first multi-center study of 115 patients was published in the Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Vol. 137 (2007), 10-20. (Download as PDF)

In light of this development, it is not possible to state at this time what position classic sinus surgery will take on. Not every patient with chronic sinusitis is suitable for balloon sinuplasty. In such cases, we have to resort to conventional functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Depending on the diagnosis, it may be possible to combine balloon sinuplasty with FESS methods. Even in these cases, there is significantly less surgical-related impact on the mucous membrane than with the other existing options.

Films that Illustrate Sinuplasty Procedures

Balloon sinuplasty, amongst other procedures, can be viewed in video on Acclarent's website: www.balloonsinuplasty.com

Further videos on this method can be viewed on Youtube: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sinuplasty

New Method for Treatment of Chronic Sinusitis
Article in German by Dr. Bernd Schuster in beauty + AESTHETIC. Download as PDF

A Small Balloon Expands the Nasal Sinuses
Article in German by Dr. Bernd Schuster in NEUE WELT. Download as PDF