If you regularly get sinus infections that don’t respond to over-the-counter decongestants, you might qualify for balloon sinuplasty. The minimally invasive procedure can clear up your sinuses and help you breathe. At Michigan Avenue Primary Care, the team of primary care specialists provides balloon sinuplasty with the RELIEVA TRACT® nasal dilation system. Call the office in The Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, or book online to make an appointment today.
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that treats chronic or recurring sinus infections (sinusitis).
Your Michigan Avenue Primary Care provider inserts a small balloon into your nostril. After positioning the balloon, your provider carefully inflates it, opening your sinuses and making it easier for you to breathe.
You might be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty if you:
After reviewing your medical records, a discussion of your symptoms, and a physical exam, your provider can make a treatment recommendation.
Michigan Avenue Primary Care does balloon sinuplasty at the hospital or a surgical facility.
Before the procedure begins, you change into a gown and lie down on your back on an operating table. Next, your provider administers a general anesthetic, putting you to sleep.
Once the anesthetic takes hold, your provider inserts an endoscope – a thin tube with a light and camera on its end – into your nostril. The endoscope feeds live images of your sinuses to a TV monitor in the operating room.
Next, your provider puts a catheter (hollow tube) into your nostril. Then, they insert a small balloon through the catheter. Your provider guides the balloon into your sinuses. They then slowly inflate the balloon, allowing your sinuses to drain.
Your provider deflates the balloon and carefully removes it. Balloon sinuplasty typically takes between two and four hours.*
After balloon sinuplasty, your provider moves you to a recovery room. A friend or family member can drive you home when the anesthesia wears off.
To ensure that your recovery goes smoothly, Michigan Avenue Primary Care recommends checkups one week, three months, and one year after the procedure. Take your medications as prescribed, get plenty of rest, and follow your provider’s instructions.
Balloon sinuplasty is safe and usually well-tolerated, but there are side effects to consider. For example, after sinuplasty, nose bleeds are more common. You might also develop bacterial sinusitis and need antibiotics to treat the infection.
If you’re tired of living with sinus infections, consider balloon sinuplasty. Make an appointment at Michigan Avenue Primary Care by calling the office or booking online today.
*Individual results may vary.