Baystate Medical Center is one of the few facilities in Western Massachusetts that performs Balloon SinuplastyTM, a new minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat sinusitis. Dr. Barry Jacobs, Dr. Grant Moore, Dr. Louis Petcu, Dr. Jacquelyn Reilly, and Dr. Jerry Schreibstein recently began treating patients here using Balloon Sinuplasty.
Sinusitis affects 39 million people a year, making it one of the most common health problems in the U.S. - more prevalent than heart disease or asthma. This costs the health care system $8 billion in direct expenses plus a significant loss of workplace productivity.
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinus lining commonly caused by infections that result in nasal congestion, facial discomfort, nasal discharge, headache, and fatigue. Although sinusitis can often be treated with antibiotics or topical nasal steroid sprays, at least 20% of patients do not respond adequately to medications and require surgery to clear blocked sinuses, restore normal sinus drainage and function.
As a minimally invasive procedure, Balloon Sinuplasty uses catheters and endoscopic tools to clear obstructions in the sinus passage and enlarge it without causing significant bleeding or damage and scarring to adjacent tissues. Prior to the introduction of Balloon Sinuplasty, patients who had a painful open surgery sinus procedure needed 5-7 days to recover before resuming normal activities. With the new procedure, which is virtually painless, most patients are back to their normal routines within 24 hours.
Learn more about Balloon Sinuplasty
For more information about Sinus Surgery at BMC, please call Baystate Health Link at 1-800-377-HEALTH.