Balloon Sinuplasty FAQs

What is Balloon Sinuplasty?

If you have trouble with chronic and recurrent sinusitis, your blocked sinus drainage pathways can prevent effective drainage, airflow and healing. If medications and first line treatments have failed to help resolve symptoms and inflammation in the past or you experience multiple episodes of sinusitis, Balloon Sinuplasty may be an appropriate treatment option for you.

The Balloon Sinuplasty procedure gently expands your sinus openings and drainage pathways to restore airflow, aid with drainage and helps healing. After locating the treatment area and applying local anesthesia, your physician will place the small balloon, inflate the balloon to dilate the treatment area, and then deflate and remove the balloon.

How long does a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure take?

Procedure length is dependent on your specific condition and anatomy. To allow time for pretreatment preparation and post treatment examination, you should expect to spend around one and a half to two hours in our office.

How much time does it take to recover after a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?

Recovery time varies with each patient. Most of our patients who have a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure return to normal activities such as work or school within two days or sooner.

Is a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure successful?

Ninety-six percent of patients who have had a Balloon Sinuplasty sinus procedure have reported drastic improvement in sinusitis symptoms. Learn more about Balloon Sinuplasty and the results of this procedure by visiting the FAQ page on balloonsinuplasty.com.

Are there any risks associated with a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?

Balloon Sinuplasty is less invasive than a traditional sinus surgery and has a low complication rate. As with any medical procedure, potential risks and complications do exist. 

Possible side effects include, but are not limited to, post-operative bleeding; pain and swelling; allergic reaction to anesthesia or other medications administered during the procedure; or infection. There is also a small risk of mucosal/tissue damage from the expansion.

Make sure to schedule a consultation with us to determine if your specific condition or anatomy may present any special risks.

Will I be awake during the Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?

Balloon Sinuplasty is usually an outpatient procedure. Most patients undergo this in-office procedure with general anesthesia, but it varies from patient to patient.

Will my insurance or Medicare cover a Balloon Sinuplasty procedure?

Most insurance companies and Medicare cover Balloon Sinuplasty if considered medically reasonable and necessary. To be certain of your level of insurance coverage, contact your insurance provider to find out your specific policy.