Balloon Sinuplasty: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Balloon sinuplasty also known as balloon sinus dilation, is a procedure wherein blocked sinuses are cleared and dilated using a balloon catheter. The procedure is carried out for the treatment of chronic sinusitis that causes the sinuses around the nasal passages to get clogged and inflamed. The condition affects normal drainage in these sinuses thereby causing excess mucus to build-up. Accumulation of mucus in the sinuses turns the mucus into a very viscous substance which may even change its colour and stick to the walls of the sinuses. Due this condition, normal breathing is impaired. Patients develop puffy eyes and the eye socket and area around the nose become swollen and feel painful to blow out the mucus. The treatment is required when treatment options with medication or other therapies fail. Chronic sinusitis causes bad breath, nausea, sore throat, fatigue, irritability, pain in teeth and upper jaw and also in the temples. With the help of balloon sinuplasty, the balloon attached to the catheter blows off the built-up polyp that blocks the nasal passage.

Some reasons for the occurrence of chronic sinusitis comprise deviated nasal septum (formation of a wall in between nostrils that causes obstruction), nasal polyps (growth of tissues that block passages), infection in the respiratory tract (infections include colds that cause swelling and thicken the membranes of the sinus thus blocking the mucus drainage. And lastly, a commonplace allergic condition such as a hay fever can also be responsible for the causation of chronic sinusitis.

The treatment of balloon sinuplasty involves inserting a wire catheter attached with a balloon into the sinuses around the nasal passages to dilate and unclog the sinuses. Unclogging the sinuses of the viscous mucus results in opening up the sinuses again so that the person regains normal breathing. The procedure is carried out either in the hospital or in the doctor’s clinic under general or local anesthesia. It involves pushing in of a wire connected to a small flashlight at its head to track the passage through which it travels so that it becomes possible for the ENT specialist to visualize the condition inside the passages. Following this, a thin balloon catheter is inserted in the sinuses and then the balloon is slowly inflated to dilate the walls of the sinus. The sinus opening is thus expanded. After this, the built-up mucus and pus in the sinus passages are flushed out by injecting saline solution in the same. Saline solution makes the viscous mucus in the passages less viscous thereby allowing the mucus to easily slip through. Right after this, the pressure built inside the sinuses is released. The bone structure around the sinuses also gets remodelled on inflation of the same. After the procedure is completed, the balloon is deflated and slowly pulled out keeping the sinus walls opened up.

People who have chronic sinusitis and no more respond to medications for its treatment will b/e eligible for the treatment.

People who have acute sinusitis which is temporary and can be cured by medication, inhalers and steam are not eligible for the treatment.

Yes there can be side effects similar to any other sinus surgery. There are risks of intracranial complications meaning the procedure may affect the nose and brain connection. This may cause the fluid of the brain to leak into the nose. Another risk of the surgery is that the structure of the nasal bone may change which may or may not regain its normal shape. There can also be an infection which may call for subsequent treatment. The sense of smell may also get affected by the surgery.

The patient will be recommended to avoid stressful activities for at least a week after the surgery. Also, after the surgery, drainage of mucus becomes a little more easy and con/tenuous which can be dealt with by sleeping with the head elevated. If there is an infection, it can be treated with an antibiotic. A saline solution may also be prescribed to be inhaled for about a week after the procedure to keep the drainage of mucus easy.

It takes mere two days after the surgery to regain normal activities.

The price of balloon sinuplasty treatment in India ranges from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000.

Yes, the results of the treatment are permanent.

Alternative treatment options for sinusitis are antibiotics, saline rinses, allergy medications as non-surgical procedures and conventional surgery for sinuses can also be carried out for clearing sinus passages.