- 28/40 patients experienced reduced symptoms
- Balloon sinuplasty used on more than 380,000 patients
- 1 in 4 patients choose balloon sinuplasty
- Patients report improved quality of life 2 years post-surgery
- Sinusitis affects approximately 13% of adults
- 95% of patients would have procedure again
- 3.2% (Low rate) of revision required in balloon sinuplasty
- Study indicates low recovery time following balloon sinuplasty
1. More than 380,000 patients have had balloon sinuplasty since its establishment, with upwards of 95% of patients reporting they would choose to have the procedure again. Balloon sinuplasty is considered extremely effective, with dramatic results reported within 1 week of surgery. Clinical evidence for balloon sinuplasty is found in over 69 publications, including a number of studies and reviews.
2. Balloon sinuplasty is a procedure used to relieve problems caused by chronic sinusitis. It is beneficial in that it is minimally invasive and does not involve cutting of bone or other tissue. This procedure has been done on more than 380,000 patients in the United States. On average, 1 in every 7 persons suffers from sinusitis in a year’s time, with approximately 37 million Americans reporting problems. Some suffer from chronic conditions, causing the nasal tissues to become inflamed and swollen, leading to tenderness and pain. Although it is usually filled with air, the sinus can instead become impacted with fluid and germs, causing infection and other problems. Balloon sinuplasty is often chosen when other treatments do not work or there is a significant risk of infection. It is minimally invasive and has a high success rate and a low complication rate. Depending on the severity of the patient’s condition, a second procedure may be required. (https://www.balloonsinuplastysurgery.com/articles/balloon-sinuplasty-statistics.html)
3. Approximately 31 million people suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis, with surgical treatments becoming increasingly popular. From 2006 to 2011, it was estimated that 1 in 3.7 patients chose surgery to treat their chronic rhinosinusitis. More than 300,000 patients have surgery each year, including balloon sinuplasty or a combination of balloon sinuplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. A push to perform the procedure in an office setting under local sedation avoids the use of general anesthesia, which may be dangerous for patients with comorbidities that may make general anesthesia more risky, as well as keeping costs low for both the patient and health professionals. Due to this in-office treatment, procedure rates jumped from 5603 to 25640 between 2012 to 2016, according to a study which used data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Database. (https://www.statpearls.com/kb/viewarticle/18125)
4. The biggest reason patients choose balloon sinuplasty is because of its reported effectiveness. Most patients see improvement in their quality of life soon after the surgery and do not need another surgery. A study done by Acclarent, Inc, found that chronic sufferers showed less nasal steroid use compared to those who opted for medical management. An earlier study showed that at the 2-year mark, chronic sufferers continued to report significant improvement and quality of life. In comparison to traditional FESS, balloon sinuplasty can be performed while the patient is awake and under local anesthesia. This significantly reduces the costs by avoiding a hospital setting. The procedure is also less traumatic than FESS and has an easy recovery time. (https://palmbeachsinus.com/success-rate-balloon-sinuplasty/)
5. Sinusitis affects approximately 13% of adults in the US. It affects roughly 16% of women and 10% of men. Chronic sinusitis accounts for 18-22 million doctor’s office visits annually. Healthcare costs due to sinusitis are more than $8 billion each year. At least 20% of chronic sufferers do not see improvement with medical therapy and require surgery, such as balloon sinuplasty. The goal of sinusitis treatment is to lessen or completely eliminate symptoms of sinusitis, including inflamed or blocked sinus openings. (https://www.jnjmedicaldevices.com/en-US/service-details/learn-about-sinusitis)
6. This study looked at the efficacy of balloon sinuplasty during a follow-up call with patients about 6 years after their surgery. The goal of the study was to compare the long-term results of patients who had undergone balloon sinuplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery, excluding people who had undergone previous surgeries. Altogether, 40 patients in the balloon sinuplasty group were contacted, with 28 answering a phone interview and reporting symptom reduction and long-term satisfaction based on scores from 19 parameters, while 45 patients in the FESS group were contacted, with 30 reporting symptom reduction and long-term satisfaction based on the same 19 parameters. Both groups noted improvement in symptoms and satisfaction with the procedures. Four patients in the balloon sinuplasty group required revision surgery, with no revisions reported in the FESS group. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26848855/)
7. Data shows approximately 3.2% of patients required revision surgery 12 months after the initial surgery. This data also shows that there is no statistical difference between the success of a balloon sinuplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery at 12 months, with a 1.4% revision rate for balloon sinuplasty and 1.7% revision rate for FESS. (https://ent.stryker.com/physician-resources/clinical-studies-trials/balloon-dilation/meta-analysis)
8. A study called the REMODEL study, performed at Richmond ENT, demonstrated 70% faster recovery rates following balloon sinuplasty. Following the procedure, patients took prescription pain pills for an average of less than one day. In an average of 1.6 days following balloon sinuplasty, patients were able to return to normal activities, compared to 4.8 days following functional endoscopic sinus surgery. The surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, and the surgeon threads a small catheter into the sinus before inflating a balloon with water to dilate the sinus opening. Patients report that the procedure is not any more difficult than having a tooth repaired, with most going back to work the following day. The benefits of balloon sinuplasty last for up to two years. (https://www.richmondent.com/sinus-allergy/balloon-sinuplasty/)