NEW SINUS RELIEF WITHA BALLOON
Spring is here, and with the new season comes allergies, and sinus problems. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sinus infections. Until now, the only hope was full blown surgery to correct the problem. Now, some surgeons are using a new, gentler technique.
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Today, Judy Caletti enjoys her time outdoors. A few weeks ago, she was in severe pain.
Judy Caletti
Chronic sinusitis patient
"I was just completely washed out. Everything was an effort, even getting a shower and brushing my teeth."
Judy had chronic sinusitis. She lost her sense of smell and suffered severe headaches almost every day!
Judy Caletti
"I didn't go out much. I didn't do any shopping."
Doctor Winston Vaughan says the condition is common.
Winston Vaughan, MD
Head and Neck Surgeon
California Sinus Institute
Palo Alto, CA
"Chronic infections are usually due to blockage. So you have large rooms, the sinus cavities with small hallways and small doorways. When the hallways and doorways get into trouble, the rooms produce mucus, which cannot drain."
To drain the "rooms", Doctor Vaughan offered Judy a new procedure called balloon sinuplasty. He threads a catheter through the nostril and into the sinus cavities. He then inserts a wire, followed by a balloon.
Winston Vaughan, MD
"And we blow the balloon up and expand the doorway by expanding the balloon."
The balloon pushes the blockage out of the way. Unlike standard surgery, it destroys little or no tissue. That offers some big benefits.
Winston Vaughan, MD
"Less pain, less bleeding, faster recovery and a more naturally functioning nasal cavity".
Judy Caletti
"I finally could smell the flowers, and they smelled really good to me."
Judy says she feels like her old self again.
Judy Caletti
"I got my life back."
Most of all, she likes being pain-free.
Another advantage of sinuplasty is patients don't require nasal packing to prevent bleeding. Standard surgery takes about a week of recovery time. Most balloon sinuplasty patients are able to function by the next day. Right now, about 20 centers across the country are offering the procedure.
BACKGROUND: Sinusitis is very common. Health care experts estimate that nearly 40 million Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. Health care workers report 33 million cases of chronic sinusitis to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention annually. It's an annual rite of passage for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. Many experience sinuses so blocked it's difficult to breathe. Other symptoms include recurring headaches, a feeling of constant "pressure" on the face, post nasal drip, fatigue and thick green and yellow mucus.
MORE ABOUT SINUSITIS: According to National institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases:
Sinusitis affects about 16 percent of the adult U.S. population.
Sinusitis affects 21 percent of women and 16 percent of men each year.
Chronic sinusitis (not including acute sinusitis) results annually in an estimated 18-22 million physician office visits.
Direct health care expenditures due to sinusitis cost are well over $6 billion each year.
Total restricted activity days due to sinusitis are well over 73 million per year
BALLOON SINUPLASTY: The procedure opens sinus cavities the same way doctors open clogged arteries when they do a balloon angioplasty. The procedure is performed entirely through the nostrils using a flexible balloon catheter designed to navigate through the complex twists and turns of the sinuses. The balloon is inflated to gently restructure and widen the walls of the blocked passageway, allowing the return of normal sinus functions. After the sinuplasty, the sinus openings become significantly wider because the balloon has actually fractured the bones and spread them apart -- all without pain. Patients can resume normal activity in 24 hours instead of the one-week in traditional sinus surgery. Winston Vaughn, M.D., has performed the surgery on more than two-dozen satisfied patients. He says, "So far, they unanimously say to us, 'Yes, that worked. Yes, my symptoms are better. Yes, I am glad I chose this procedure.'"
Winston Vaughan, MD
1900 University Ave
Suite 101
E. Palo Alto , CA
(650) 462-3131
sinusmd@aol.com
www.calsinus.com
www.acclarent.com
Copyright © 2006 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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