PHX Reporter

Sinus surgery, including balloon sinuplasty and endoscopy, offer fast relief for patients suffering from severe symptoms of sinusitis.

The main goals of sinus surgery are to alleviate symptoms, including trouble breathing and allergy headaches, and to reduce infections, according to WebMD. Recurring infections signal an issue in the nasal cavity that could be remediated by surgery.

Regarding balloon sinuplasty, Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center says this procedure has been one of the field’s most impressive advancements. 

Dr. Brian Lee | Scottsdale Sinus & Allergy Center

“Most of the patients, by the time they get to a specialist's office, they've already kind of been through the basic stuff: the allergy medications, the nasal sprays, antibiotics and steroids,” Lee told PHX Reporter. “So that's usually the first level of treatment options; the next step up the ladder would be some type of procedural intervention like the balloon sinuplasty.”

This process entails doctors inserting a small tube into the nose with a small balloon inflated inside the blocked area of the nasal passageway to enlarge and allow the sinuses to drain, WebMD says.

“With the balloon sinuplasty, because it's so safe -- it's minimally invasive -- the downtime is so minimal, it allows us to intervene even for patients with mild disease and to really improve their quality of life,” Lee said.

Lee believes balloon sinuplasty is ideal because it replaces the traditional sinus surgery that has been performed over the last 30 years and allows doctors to step in earlier in the disease process. 

“The best part about it is that we're able to do these procedures in the office under local anesthesia,” Lee said. “There's minimal downtime, so patients are really able to get a large amount of relief relatively quickly.”

Endoscopy, the second option for sinus surgery, involves the insertion of narrow instruments called endoscopes into the nose, along with a camera, as the doctor removes polyps and scar tissues from the sinuses. If nothing needs to be removed, a patient may be eligible for a balloon sinuplasty procedure.

After undergoing sinus surgery, patients should be able to breathe more easily through their nose without the chronic congestion that may have previously affected their sense of smell or taste.

Prospective patients can evaluate their symptoms with Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center's Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.