Balloon Sinuplasty

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September 4, 2023
Balloon Sinuplasty
ENT Pembroke Pines

Breathing Easier: Exploring the Benefits of Balloon Sinuplasty for Sinus Relief

Do you suffer from chronic sinusitis? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the sinuses. Symptoms include congestion, facial pain, reduced sense of smell, and headaches. In the past, the only treatment options available for chronic sinusitis were medications or surgery. But, with the advent of balloon sinuplasty, there’s a new, less invasive way to provide relief from sinusitis.

Discover Sinus Relief with Balloon Sinuplasty at the Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus Center

At Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus Center, we are proud to offer the latest in sinus relief technology with balloon sinuplasty. This minimally invasive procedure is designed to effectively open blocked sinus passages, allowing for improved airflow and relief from sinusitis symptoms.

What is Balloon Sinuplasty?

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses a tiny balloon to open blocked sinus passages. It is used to treat chronic sinusitis and other sinus-related issues. During the procedure, a small balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity and inflated to gently open the sinus passage. This can facilitate drainage of the accumulated mucus and relieve sinus pressure and pain. The procedure is minimally invasive, as it does not involve cutting or removal of bone or tissue, and can be done in an outpatient setting.

Benefits of Balloon Sinuplasty

This treatment offers numerous benefits for patients suffering from chronic sinusitis. The procedure is less invasive than traditional sinus surgery, which means there is less risk of infection and scarring. Additionally, patients who undergo the procedure often experience a significant reduction in sinusitis symptoms.

Who is a Candidate for Balloon Sinuplasty?

The best way to determine if balloon sinuplasty is right for you is to schedule a consultation with your ENT specialist. At Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus Center, we offer a variety of services to help diagnose and treat sinusitis. We can also diagnose and treat ear infections, ear ringing, sinus infections, and clogged ears. Our services also include ear wax removal. During your consultation, your ENT specialist will review your symptoms and medical history and make recommendations for treatment. Studies have shown that symptoms improve in 95 percent of patients who get this procedure.

Breathe Freely with Advanced Sinusitis Care in Pembroke Pines

If you’re suffering from chronic sinusitis, Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus Center is here to help. We offer advanced sinusitis care in Pembroke Pines, including balloon sinuplasty, to help you breathe easier.

Our experienced team of ENT specialists is committed to providing the highest quality of care and compassionate service. We understand that chronic sinusitis can be a difficult condition to live with, and we’re here to help you find the relief you need.

If you’re interested in learning more about balloon sinuplasty or any of the other services we offer, contact Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, and Sinus Center today. We look forward to helping you breathe easier.

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June 2, 2022
Balloon Sinuplasty
ENT Pembroke Pines

Can Balloon Sinuplasty Help My Sinusitis?

Most people are affected by sinus problems during their life. The good news is that there are treatments that can help. One treatment for chronic sinus problems is balloon sinuplasty. This is a minimally invasive technique that is used when medical therapy hasn’t provided adequate relief.

 

What Is the Purpose of Sinuses?

Sinuses are cavities in your face filled with air. The air you breathe passes through the sinuses that produce mucus which captures bacteria and other foreign particles out of the air.

 

Sinus Anatomy and Function

Sinuses are the initial part of your respiratory system. They are the first portal for the intake of oxygen into your system. You have hollow spaces in your facial bones near your nose. They are filled with air as you breathe.

 

There are four pairs on either side of your face. They are the

  • Maxillary sinuses on each side of your nose near your cheekbones.
  • Fontal sinuses above your eyes in your forehead
  • Ethmoid sinuses on each side of the bridge of your nose, near your eyes.
  • Sphenoid sinuses behind the eyes deeper in your skull.

 

As you breathe it passes through the sinus cavities where mucus is produced to filter the air and lubricate your passages. The mucus drains into your nasal passages and down the back of your throat and is swallowed. With it is carried dust and bacteria.

 

Sinus Conditions

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the tissues lining your sinus cavities. Inflamed tissues swell and impede airflow through your passages. Blocked sinus cavities can fill with fluid that traps bacteria which in turn causes sinus infections.

 

There are different types of sinus infections including

  • Acute bacterial – cold symptoms that persist for 10 days
  • Chronic – cold symptoms that persist for at least 12 weeks
  • Subacute – cold symptoms that persist for 4 to 12 weeks
  • Recurrent acute – cold symptoms that recur four or more times a year and persist for less than two weeks each time.

 

Causes include

  • Common colds
  • Allergies
  • Nasal polyps
  • Deviated septum

 

Common Treatments

Inflammation and swelling of sinus tissue are usually successfully treated with medications including corticosteroids, allergy medications, and antifungal treatment.

 

Polyps and chronic sinus inflammation are often treated with injections of dupilumab or omalizumab.

 

If an underlying bacterial infection is suspected a general antibiotic might be prescribed along with other medications. If allergies are a factor, immunotherapy shots can help.

 

When all else fails, your doctor might order endoscopic sinus surgery. If a physical blockage is detected (e.g., a polyp) the tissue blockage will be removed

 

Balloon Sinuplasty

Balloon sinus dilation is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. It is a successful technique for balloon dilation of your partially obstructed sinus passages. A tiny balloon is inserted through your nose to eliminate the blockage. The newly opened passage does not need an implant or additional support and is permanent.

 

Who Is A Candidate?

You may be a candidate for balloon dilation (sinuplasty) if you meet the following:

  • No nasal polyps or tumors
  • Have a mild form of sinusitis
  • Tolerate procedures under local anesthesia.
  • Obstruction is localized in a specific sinus cavity.

Children are considered as candidates only where their condition is of a severe type and so other medical treatments are effective.

 

If you are not eligible for this procedure you might consider with your doctor endoscopic sinus surgery.

 

Conclusion

If you suffer from frequent episodes of serious symptoms, you need to contact us at Southeastern Ear Nose Throat Sinus Center in Florida. We are in Miramar, Davie, and our Pembroke Pines main ENT office.

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February 12, 2022
Balloon SinuplastyENT Doctor
ENT Pembroke Pines

Do You Qualify for Balloon Sinuplasty?

When people suffer from chronic sinusitis and repeatedly experience infections, the doctor may prescribe a balloon sinuplasty.  

People who qualify for this procedure feel pressure in their face, nose, and ears, and they can also feel fluid in their ears. Pembroke Pines has some of the best facilities to relieve people of sinusitis and perform expert-level Balloon Sinuplasty.  

What Is Balloon Sinuplasty? 

Balloon Sinuplasty is a minor, minimally invasive surgical procedure that increases the space for air to get inside the sinus.  

The increased space in the sinus enhances the natural drainage of the sinuses, allowing the patient to breathe normally and suffer from fewer infections.  

Once the space in the sinus increases, the air in the sinus dries the mucus out. The dried mucus further increases the space in the sinus cavity, and the patient no longer feels as much pressure in their sinuses. 

Balloon Sinuplasty replaces old procedures that increase the space inside the sinuses by cutting into them. Instead, the space in the sinus increases by cracking open the bones and expanding it instead. There is no wound, and the bones heal quickly as well. 

Who Qualifies For It? 

A doctor will recommend a Balloon Sinuplasty to anyone who suffers from moderate or severe sinus infections multiple times a year. This means that a person needs to undergo four or more infections which last for a month or longer each time every year, to be a candidate for this procedure. 

People who get significant sinus infections without allergenic triggers are also qualified for Balloon Sinuplasty.  

Other people who are qualified for a Balloon Sinuplasty are people who suffer from recurring infections after a surgical procedure in a nearby area or people with a deviated septum.  

To identify if you have sinusitis and qualify for this procedure, you can check if you have any of the following symptoms.  

  • Pressure and pain in the face 
  • Nasal congestion 
  • Runny nose 
  • Dizziness and heaviness 
  • Toothaches and bad breath 
  • Headache due to congestion and pressure 
  • Difficulty in tasting food 

Contact your doctor immediately if you believe you qualify for Balloon Sinuplasty. Davie and nearby areas in Pembroke Pines have some of the most elite facilities for Balloon Sinuplasty so that you can try your luck there easily. 

What Is The Procedure? 

The procedure for Balloon sinuplasty is minimally invasive and easy to perform. It is done under anesthesia. 

Once the anesthesia takes effect, the doctor inserts a balloon catheter inside the nasal cavity. The balloon catheter is named because it expands like a balloon inside the cavity. As the catheter expands, space inside the sinus increases.  

The doctor then uses a saline wash to flush away the excess mucus and other fluids inside the sinus.  

The balloon is slowly deflated and removed. There is now more space inside the sinus, and the cracked bones heal within a few weeks.  

Once the bones heal, the sinuses have ample space, and the patient is less likely to have recurring infections and other symptoms of sinusitis.  

What Are The Advantages Of The Procedure? 

There is a myriad of advantages of getting the procedure. Balloon sinuplasty is approved by the FDA, ensuring that there is enough research on the procedure to deem it completely effective. Other than that: 

  • You no longer suffer from the symptoms of sinusitis. Your quality of life will improve massively. 
  • The procedure is free of cutting and suturing, ensuring no infection and minimal pain after the procedure is over.  
  • The procedure is very simple, so there is a minimal risk of complications and things going wrong with this procedure.  
  • You recover within a few weeks after the procedure as well. 
  • The aftercare of Balloon Sinuplasty is very easy too. You have to take care that you do not blow your nose and deal with any bloody discharge, which is common after the procedure. 

Is The Procedure Risky? 

The great thing about Balloon Sinuplasty is that the procedure is not risky. Most ENTs are qualified enough to perform the procedure without any hiccups. The procedure is also minimally invasive, and no cutting and suturing are involved, which minimizes the chances of infection in the area.   

So if you have recurring sinusitis and it affects your quality of life, you must get a Balloon Sinuplasty if the doctor recommends it.  

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September 29, 2021
Balloon Sinuplasty
ENT Pembroke Pines

Signs And Symptoms Of Chronic Sinus Infection

Sinus infections can be uncomfortable, painful and can get in the way of life. If you are experiencing four or more severe sinus infections in a year, you may benefit from balloon sinuplasty in Pembroke Pines.

Unlike traditional surgery to improve sinuses, balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure. It requires the use of a tiny balloon that is threaded into the sinuses to open the natural sinus cavity by cracking the bone open and stretching out the issue. While this may sound uncomfortable, consider the alternative: traditional treatment, which requires cutting into the sinuses. With balloon sinuplasty, airflow is improved, and no tissue is torn during the treatment. Most patients can go home a few hours after their procedure.

Not everyone qualifies for balloon sinuplasty, but if you suffer from sinuses, you may be interested in learning more and whether you qualify. If other treatments have not worked, contact an ENT doctor at Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat Sinus Center.

Another way to determine if you qualify is if you have chronic sinusitis infections and you experience the following symptoms.  

What Is Chronic Sinusitis?

Chronic sinusitis is swelling and inflammation of your sinuses (spaces inside your nose and head) for three months or longer. You may experience a stuffy nose and tenderness/swelling around the eyes. Despite medications, you are unable to find an effective treatment.

There are many causes of this condition, including infection or swelling of the lining of your sinuses.

The symptoms of chronic sinusitis are like that of acute sinusitis. The main difference is that acute sinusitis can be treated with home remedies and generally goes away within one week to 10 days. Acute episodes can lead to chronic sinusitis.

Common Symptoms Of Sinus Infection

You may suffer from sinus infections and not realize what they are. Signs and symptoms are like a cold. Unlike a cold, you won’t experience fever unless you have a serious infection. The symptoms are:

  • Nasal inflammation
  • Runny nose
  • Pain in your sinuses (forehead, either side of your nose, upper jaws, and teeth, and between your eyes)
  • Postnasal drip/drainage (drainage down the back of the throat)
  • Congestion
  • Pain, tenderness, and swelling around the eyes
  • Reduced sense of smell and taste
  • Ear pain
  • Sore throat
  • Bad breath
  • Fatigue
  • Sinus headache

As you can see, these symptoms are much like the symptoms of a cold. Again, the main difference is you will not develop a fever when you have a sinus infection unless it is extremely serious. In addition to fever, you will most likely experience confusion, stiff neck, and double vision with extremely serious sinus infections.

The above symptoms can also be attributed to chronic and acute sinusitis, but the way to determine whether your infection is chronic is if it lasts more than 12 weeks. However, you shouldn’t wait this long before seeing an ENT specialist. If your sinus infection has lasted more than 10 days and does not respond to medication (OTC and antibiotics), herbal treatments, and decongestant sprays, it’s time to contact a specialist.

Can Chronic Sinus Infection Be Prevented?

There are things you can do to prevent sinus infection before considering balloon sinuplasty. If you know the cause of your infection, it’s important to work with your doctor to manage symptoms before they worsen. Likewise, if you have allergies, this should also be managed as allergies can trigger sinus infections.

Additionally, washing your hands frequently and avoiding people with colds and upper respiratory infections is strongly advised. You can also benefit by using a humidifier in your home to add moisture to the air.

Visit Southeastern Ear, Nose, Throat, Sinus Center

If you are considering balloon sinuplasty in Pembroke Pines, you’ll be in good hands with our compassionate team. You will be seen by Dr. Robert B. Contrucci, D.O., P.A, a board-certified otolaryngologist with over 30 years of experience in ENT. He has treated patients in Pembroke Pines and throughout Broward County who experienced all conditions of the ear, nose, throat and sinuses. Call (954) 437-5333 to schedule an appointment.

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