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S INUSITIS IS ONE of the most common chronic healthcare problems in the U.S, afflicting 37 million Americans annually. 1 It significantly impacts patients physically, functionally and emotionally and takes a toll on quality of life. 2 Historically, treatment for chronic sinus- itis has been limited to medical therapy or traditional surgery including Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). The use of medications such as antibiotics or topical nasal steroids has been shown to be effective in reducing mucosal swell- ing and relieving ostial obstructions. However, for up to 50% of patients, even multiple courses of medications and the use of increasingly stronger antibiotics are not enough to relieve symptoms of this disease. 3 When medical therapy fails, FESS has traditionally been the next step. This involves cutting bone and tissue from the nasal passages to open obstructed sinuses and promote drainage. Afterwards, moderate pain and a 7–10 day recovery time is the norm. Now, patients and doctors have more options. In the past few years, a mini- mally invasive procedure called Balloon Sinuplasty has been successfully used by surgeons to treat patients with chronic sinusitis. Balloon Sinuplasty uses an FDA-cleared balloon catheter to dilate blocked paranasal sinus ostia without tissue or bone removal. This procedure can now be done in the doctor's office under local anesthesia and takes about an hour to perform. Balloon Sinuplasty involves using the same principle that cardiologists use in opening up blocked coronary arteries. A fine, flexible guidewire is threaded into the blocked sinus. A balloon is passed over the wire and gently inflated to dilate the natural opening. The balloon is then deflated and removed, restoring normal sinus drainage. Use of this proven technology offers the following benefits: + it's minimally invasive + bleeding is minimal 4 + recovery time is faster + future treatment options are preserved + general anesthesia is not needed 5 + out-of-pocket costs for some patients may be lower 5 Balloon Sinuplasty technology has undergone rigorous clinical validation. Two studies published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery confirmed the following: 91.6% functional patency rate at one-year, 6 no serious adverse events at two-years, 7 symptom improvement for 85% of patients across the two-year post-surgery period. 7 If your patients are suffering from chronic sinusitis and have not found adequate relief from medical therapy, they may be candidates for in-office Balloon Sinuplasty. For more information, or to find a local physician that offers Balloon Sinuplasty, please visit www.ohiosinusrelief.com. ■ References 1. Benninger, M. et al. Adult chronic rhinosinusitis: Definitions, diagnosis, epidemiology, and pathophysiol- ogy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003; 129S: S1-S32 2. Ray, N., et al. Healthcare expenditures for sinusitis in 1996: Contributions of asthma, rhinitis, and other airway disorders. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999; 103: 408-414. 3. Lal, D., Scianna, J., Stankiewicz, J. "Efficacy of targeted medical therapy in chronic rhinosinusitis, and predictors of failure." Am J Rhinol Allerg y 23, 396-400, 2009. 145 patients received oral antibiot- ics, oral steroids, topical nasal steroids, topical nasal decongestant cycling rotation and nasal douching. Results after 6-8 weeks are examined. 4. Levine et al. Multicenter Registry of Balloon Catheter Sinusotomy Outcomes for 1,036 Patients, Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 2008, Vol. 117, pp. 263-270. 5. Karanfilov B, Silvers S, Pasha R, Sikand A, Shikani A, Sillers M; for the ORIOS2 Study Investigators. Office-based balloon sinus dilation: a prospective, multicenter study of 203 patients. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2012;Nov 7. doi: 10.1002/alr.21112. 6. Kuhn, FA., et al, Balloon Catheter Sinusotomy: One-year follow-up, Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008; 139, S27-S37. 7. Weiss, RL., et al, Long-term outcome analysis balloon catheter sinusotomy, Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008; 139, S38-S46. New option for Sinus Sufferers: In-Office Balloon Sinuplasty +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + +++ + +++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SPECIAL SECTION: MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURES ❯ By Mary McCarthy ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF ACCLARENT Step 1: A fine, flexible guidewire is threaded into the blocked sinus. Step 2: A balloon is advanced over the guidewire and inflated to gently expand the sinus opening. Step 3: The balloon is then removed, leaving the sinus open. 2 6 | Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 1 4