ENT, SINUS & ALLERGY HEALTH BLOG
A Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved medical procedure, balloon sinuplasty is a simple in-office procedure available to patients and likely covered by insurance to further reduce out of pocket costs.
Balloon sinuplasty is available for chronic rhinosinusitis patients whose conditions have not been managed by other means. This includes medical management, according to Medical News Today. The procedure is performed on the nose, where a tiny balloon is inserted then expanded to open the sinuses.
"The majority of our procedures are done in our office under local anesthesia," Dr. Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus and Allergy Centers said. "Local anesthesia is tolerated extremely well and is very safe. I get feedback from the patient and can ask them 'How you're feeling? or Am I causing you pain?"
Sinusitis is caused by viral and bacterial infections and symptoms include facial discomfort, inflammation of sinus, nasal discharge, pain in bridge of nose and headache and fatigue, according to the American Sinus Institute.
"We have our CT scanner in the office," Khanna said. "They don't have to take an extra trip to the radiology center. I’m able to review the film's directly with the patient that same day, within a span of literally five minutes, so from a convenience factor, cost factor to safety for the patient, the in-office CT scanners are a game changer.”
According to Medical News Today, the procedure isn't considered an experimental or elective surgery. It is customarily covered by insurance. If sinus infections are impeding your daily life it is time to see a sinus inflammation specialist.
According to the American Sinus Institute, rhinosinusitis or sinusitis affects women more than men, affecting 17% of women and 10% of males out of the 37 million sufferers yearly. The procedure is less expensive in the office when compared to the procedure done in a hospital setting, according to GoodRx.
"With local costs as well, when it's done it in an office setting, the cost savings for patients is tremendous. When these are done in a hospital setting or an ambulatory surgical sending the insurance companies, as well as the patient is getting stuck with an extra charge, which can be in the thousands of dollars of time, so there's a lot of positives of doing these procedures in an office setting," Khanna said. "You know, least of it is the patient's wallet."
We encourage our readers to take this assessment to determine how bad your sinuses really are and if the balloon sinuplasty is right for you.
Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers is committed to providing the best sinus and allergy relief in the entire DC Metro Area, using the most advanced, proven patient-friendly techniques available. With 37 million Americans suffering from sinusitis and 242,000 annual chronic sinusitis ER visits, our mission is to provide minimally invasive options for needed long-lasting relief so that patients can get back to living. We call this mission Breathe Free and Live Well, and it is the North Star that guides us in each unique, collaborative patient interaction. To learn more about Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, please visit our website.