North Baltimore Journal

Chronic sinusitis, a condition that affects more than 30 million Americans on an annual basis, has met its match with a new "smart sinus procedure," also known as balloon sinuplasty.

This effective and innovative procedure is helping to provide relief to those suffering from chronic sinusitis, a condition that can cause pain and discomfort on a continual basis. 

One of the main benefits of balloon sinuplasty procedures is that they are minimally invasive. Without the need for surgery in a hospital setting, many patients have been much more open and willing to receive treatment. 

Dr. James Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, an expert in this procedure, told the North Baltimore Journal about some of the reasons that the treatment is becoming so popular.

"The ideal patient is certainly somebody who would like to avoid anesthesia," he said. "We wouldn't do balloon sinuplasty if you have a significant nasal polyposis or allergic fungal sinusitis; those patients are a subset of chronic sinusitis. But if they don't have those conditions -- which is truly the majority of  patients, those with either recurrent infection in their sinuses, which is by definition greater than three months of symptoms without resolution with medical management -- they will benefit from sinus surgery."

Oberman and other doctors who treat chronic sinusitis are pleased with the results of the procedure, and they see it as a viable treatment method for a condition that previously required more invasive measures. According to the American Journal of Rhinology, 91% of patients who've previously had a balloon procedure would do it over again, but only 49% of  functional endoscopic sinus surgery patients were satisfied enough to have the procedure again.

Chronic sinusitis is sinus problems that persist for three months or longer. There are several causes, and doctors recommend seeing a specialist for treatment, such as those at Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.