An estimated 16% of the adult population in the United States suffer from sinusitis each year. Sinus infection or rhinosinusitis happens when the tissues lining the nasal cavities are inflamed. Bacteria, viruses, allergens, or fungus are the leading cause of sinus inflammation.
The inflammation hinders the smooth airflow and drainage in your sinuses resulting in a mucus build-up, which makes you susceptible to secondary infections. If you have a sinus infection that persists for seven or more days, you should consider getting a balloon sinuplasty in Denver. This minimally invasive procedure is highly effective in treating a sinus infection.
What exactly is balloon sinuplasty?
Approved by the FDA in 2005, balloon sinuplasty is a medical procedure that was adapted from angioplasty. In angioplasty, surgeons use a balloon catheter to dilated congested or damaged blood vessels near the hear. Since it’s inception, the surgical procedure has achieved raving success.
The procedure is highly effective that the medical insurance companies were quick to recognize and cover it. Unlike traditional surgical methods, sinuplasty is minimally invasive. Better yet, the process involves not cutting whatsoever, which makes for exceptional recovery time.
Only a licensed ENT doctor should carry out the procedure using general or local anesthesia. After anaesthetization, the doctor inserts a small balloon into one or all three nasal passages. Once the balloon is set correctly, the surgeon inflates it gently until it presses into the sinus wall.
The primary idea here is to produce a tiny bone fracture to force and opening. Once the balloon achieves full inflation, the doctor flushes the nasal cavities and passageways with a saline solution to remove gunk and debris. The doctor then removes the balloon and you’re left with a sinus that drains naturally.
The procedure takes around one hour and is relatively painless. Most patients report only a feeling of numbness or sinus pressure and nothing more during the surgery.
How much does it cost?
If you have health insurance, a balloon sinuplasty will set you back anywhere between $2,000 and $7,000. Without insurance, the procedure might prove to be prohibitive as it will cost you $20,000 or more. You’re likely to pay less if you elect to have the surgery in a clinic or a doctor’s office compared to a hospital setting.
The total cost depends on your insurance plan, the severity of the symptoms, and whether you need additional therapy. Some insurance company considers this treatment procedure as elective, which makes it ineligible for coverage. Check with your insurance company whether they will be on hand to pick the tab. You certainly don’t want to incur such a high medical bills tab with no insurance coverage.
How long is the recovery period?
The best part of a balloon sinuplasty surgery is the recovery time. For starters, there’s no overnight hospital stay since you get to go home after a few hours. Secondly, you can go back to your regular activities in as little as 24 to 48 hours after surgery. In the week following the surgery, you might feel tired, dizzy, experience a little bit of congestion, and have bloody drainage. These are symptoms will wear off relatively quickly. Don’t blow your nose for two days following the surgery and avoid strenuous activities for at least one week.
A balloon sinuplasty is the most effective way to treat a chronic sinus infection available today. This non-invasive surgical procedure is painless and involves no hospital stay and is covered by most medical insurance providers. Why not give it a try?
