Sinusitis, chronic sinus inflammation, is one of the most common chronic health problems in the United States today. It affects more than 37 million Americans each year. Patients with sinusitis often suffer from chronic sinus infections, headaches and facial pressure, nasal congestion and drainage, dental pain, and fatigue. This condition often significantly impacts an individual’s physical, functional and emotional quality of life. 

Historically, sinusitis patients have been limited to two treatment options: medical therapy, such as antibiotics and topical nasal steroids, or conventional sinus surgery, also known as Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) under general anesthesia. Medical therapy can help alleviate symptoms for as many as 80% of patients, but is inadequate for the rest. For them, sinus surgery is often the best option. However, FESS is a conventional surgery that requires bone and tissue removal to open blocked sinus passageways. In lieu of treatment, approximately 900,000 patients each year elect to live with painful sinus conditions. 

A clinically proven, minimally invasive technology has been recently introduced to treat chronic sinus inflammation. Balloon Sinuplasty™ uses a small catheter and balloon to quickly open and expand blocked sinuses. This alternative to traditional sinus surgery uses a small, flexible balloon catheter, which is placed through the nostril into the blocked sinus passageway. Once in the proper location it is then inflated to gently restructure and open the sinus passageway, restoring normal sinus function. The ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons at the Longmont Clinic are experienced in performing Balloon Sinuplasty™ in the operating room, and were some of the first physicians in Colorado to offer this technology when it was first introduced. 

Recently, the procedure was approved as an in-office procedure. In the right patient, having this procedure performed in your doctor’s office can offer several advantages. First, it is available without the risks and recovery of general anesthesia. Second, it is much less expensive, saving both patients and insurance companies thousands of dollars over the cost of having the procedure in an operating room. The procedure itself takes only an hour to an hour-and-a-half to complete, and recovery may be as short as a one day versus the seven or more days for sinus surgery performed in the operating room. Balloon Sinuplasty™ is a proven technology with 91.6% of sinuses remaining open after one year, and 85% of patients showing improvement in sinus symptoms after two years (CLEAR study). 

The in-office procedure has been shown to be well-tolerated in patients, with

comparable and significant symptom improvement to the operating room procedure (ORIOS 1 study). BSP In-Office™ is designed to fill the gap between ineffective medical management and traditional, operating room-based sinus surgery. It is ideal for patients who have not received relief from their symptoms with medical management and those who are ineligible for traditional sinus surgery (FESS) or decline the operating room option.To determine if you are a candidate for this procedure, you may make an appointment with Dr. Raj TerKonda or Dr. Abby Emdur in the ear nose and throat department at Longmont Clinic. 

Dr. TerKonda is a board certified ear, nose and throat surgeon. He is also board certified as a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He has been named as one of 5280 Magazine's Top Docs in recent years. He joined the staff of Longmont Clinic in August 2000. Dr. TerKonda can be reached at 720.494.3120.