BALLOONS MORE COMPLICATED THAN FIRST THOUGHT?

My advice to patients is to choose their surgeons carefully when they opt for any procedures on the nose and sinuses as often procedures that are considered simple have significant compilations as discussed below.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy compares balloon sinuplasty procedure with Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) which is a traditional treatment for nasal and sinus disease. The authors conclude that in the balloon sinuplasty the complication rate was 5.2% and for FESS 7.35%. These complications included an orbital injury, injury to the skull base with CSF leaks (leakage of brain fluid) as well as bleeding following the procedure.

It is worth noting that the revision rate following balloon sinuplasty was lower than following endoscopic sinus surgery which is approximately four-fold lower but this does not take in to consider the extent of the disease.

It is true to say that significant sinus lining disease will require a traditional surgery rather than this balloon sinuplasty.

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