Balloon Sinuplasty Helps Relieve Chronic Sinusitis

If you’ve been suffering from chronic sinus infections – known as sinusitis – and nasal irrigation and antibiotics aren’t preventing repeat attacks, you might be a candidate for a balloon sinuplasty, a noninvasive, outpatient procedure available at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.

Common sinusitis symptoms include heavy nasal congestion and discharge, facial pain, sinus headaches, toothaches, a general sense of fatigue, and even bad breath.

Balloon sinuplasty can widen the natural opening of the sinuses, allowing drainage and providing long-term relief for chronic sufferers. A trained otolaryngologist, commonly referred to as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician, threads a tiny balloon catheter (thin, flexible tube) or guide wire with a balloon into the nostrils (step 1) and up to the area of blockage (step 2).

The balloon is then inflated (step 3) to open the passageway. Sinuses are opened (step 4) in the same way that doctors open up a blocked artery during a balloon angioplasty.

"I’m glad we have a minimally invasive method to offer those who’ve suffered the long-term discomforts of chronic sinusitis. It’s an innovative, safe treatment option that I perform in-office,” says Abhishek Prasad, MD, an ENT specialist at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.