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Apr 15, 2008 3:33 pm US/Eastern
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Procedure May Help Sinus Sufferers Breath Easy
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Millions of people suffer from chronic sinus problems, but a new procedure may help patients breathe a lot easier.
Gloria Ward can feel her sinus infections flaring up again. She's sneezing, coughing and always clearing her throat. "I was having a lot of numbness on one side and a lot of problems hearing out of the one ear, and it has to do with the sinus infections I was having.
When medication didn't work, Gloria turned to a new surgery called "balloon sinuplasty."
Sinuses drain through these tiny passageways, but when they're blocked -- due to allergies, colds, or infections -- the pain begins.
With a camera scope and a lighted wire that you can actually see through the skull, doctors open up the sinus passages with a tiny, saline-filled balloon.
The balloon permanently reshapes the opening.
Balloon sinuplasty has been around for two years. About 20,000 procedures have been performed using this technique.
The high-pressure balloon seems tiny, until it's squeezed into the sinus canals. There's no cutting involved and the operation can take less than an hour.
Technology is helping change the notion that nasal surgery isn't effective.
"Most people will say that it completely changes their life," said plastic surgeon Dr. Marc Kerner. "They didn't realize how bad off they were before they had this done."
Recovery time is quick. Most patients are back at work in a few days, but it may take a few weeks to see full results.
Sinusitis affects 39 million people and costs over $8 billion in health care expenses every year.
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