It's that time of the year; the flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green, and people who suffer from nasal allergies and sinus pain are struggling to catch their next breath. Many people in North Texas, women in particular, suffer from chronic sinusitis, a common condition that involves the sinuses becoming inflamed and swollen. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 13% of people in the United States were told they had sinusitis in 2009, and more women were diagnosed with the condition than men.
Now a procedure is available to help relieve nasal and sinus blockage. The new technique, called Balloon Sinuplasty™ is being performed at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano by physicians on the medical staff trained in otolaryngology. "This minimally invasive procedure takes about 30-60 minutes and involves using a small catheter and balloon to open and expand blocked sinuses," said Dr. Lav Kapadia, Ear, Nose and Throat specialist, on the Baylor Plano medical staff.
Chronic sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinus lining lasting three months or more and is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic illnesses. It is caused by bacterial, viral, and allergic conditions as well as structural issues like blockages of the sinus opening.
Signs and symptoms of chronic sinusitis may include:
- Facial pain, pressure, congestion or fullness
- Difficulty breathing through the nose
- Discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose
- Teeth pain
- Loss of the sense of smell or taste
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Bad breath
The most frequently used treatments for chronic sinusitis are medical therapies and/or conventional sinus surgery. Medical therapy treatments include sprays, antibiotics, steroids, and other remedies, while conventional sinus surgery involves removing tissue in order to open the sinus passages. The breakthrough of balloon sinuplasty is that it is a tissue preserving procedure, which helps promote a return to normal functioning.
"For some patients," says Dr. Kapadia, "conventional sinus surgery is necessary. However, for those with the right indications, balloon sinuplasty offers a gentler alternative with a quicker recovery, days instead of weeks."
If you suffer from chronic sinusitis or sinus pain, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit www.BaylorHealth.com/Plano for a referral to an ENT on the Baylor Plano medical staff.
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano is a 112-bed acute care hospital committed to serving North Texas residents with personalized care and advanced technology on a beautiful campus with hotel-like amenities and all private rooms. Services at the not-for-profit, fully-accredited facility include treatment for advanced spine deformities at the Baylor Scoliosis Center, neurosciences, orthopaedics, medical and radiation oncology, surgical weight loss, women's services, gynecology, urology, gastroenterology, pulmonary medicine, sleep disorders, pain management, diabetes management and more. Patients have access to digital imaging onsite at Baylor Plano and at the Baylor Diagnostic Imaging Center at Craig Ranch, an outpatient department of Baylor Plano. The hospital is the first in North Dallas and Collin County to offer minimally invasive robotic surgery for procedures through the FDA-approved da Vinci® S Surgical System. Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano ranks six on U.S. News & World Report's first-ever Best Hospitals metro area ranking for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Baylor Plano is also a 2010 recipient of the Texas Award for Performance Excellence and houses an Accredited Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commissions on Cancer. Baylor Plano is the only hospital in Collin County and one of six in Texas to be accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Jerri Garison is president of Baylor Plano. For more information, or a physician referral, call toll free 1-800-4-BAYLOR or log onto www.BaylorHealth.com/Plano.
CONTACT:
Kayci Prince
469.814.2109
kaycipri@baylorhealth.edu
Janeen Browning
469.814.2107
janeenbr@baylorhealth.edu
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White is empowering customers to live well by reimagining traditional healthcare — creating more convenient, personalized and informed experiences. It serves more than three million customers through 53 hospitals, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple; the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute; 1,300+ access points; 59,000+ team members; and its leading digital platform — MyBSWHealth. The system's award-winning employer solutions include Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and Levanto — a company offering digitally enabled health products. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White's mission is to promote the health and well-being of all individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com