SinusitisTreatments

Treating Sinusitis at Mount Sinai South Nassau

Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinus cavities. The sinus cavities are air-filled spaces in the skull. It is usually associated with infection. Since it’s one of the most common conditions of our patients, we’re experienced in a wide range of medicines and surgeries to treat it.

Medicines: A First Choice

Medicines are usually the first choice to treat symptoms of sinusitus. They include sprays, antibiotics and steroids. Inhaling steam or using nasal saline sprays or drops may also help relieve sinus discomfort. These medicines are effective for most people to reduce swelling inside the sinuses, fight infection and relieve any blockages.

Balloon Sinuplasty

If medicines do not work as well as desired, the experts at Mount Sinai South Nassau’s ENT Department are also experienced in different types of sinus surgery. We offer both conventional sinus surgery and an advanced procedure that uses tiny tools, including tiny balloons, in the sinus cavities to gently open the passageways.

This procedure is called Relieva Balloon Sinuplasty™ and takes advantage of the thin, flexible tubes used in endoscopy. Using these small tubes, your surgeon will position a tiny balloon into the blocked sinus passageway. We then inflate the balloon to gently restructure and open the sinus passageway. This restores normal sinus drainage and function, and we can therefore usually avoid the need for removal of any tissue or bone.

Advantages compared to traditional surgery:

• Surgery tools include small, soft, flexible devices that enter the sinuses through the nostrils. These devices gently open blocked sinuses.
  
• In many cases, no tissue or bone is removed during surgery. So there is less bleeding and less need for nasal packing (cotton in the nose to stop bleeding).
  
• While recovery time varies with each patient, some patients have been known to return to normal activities within 24 hours.
  
• This technique will not interfere with future treatments, if you later need additional medicines or even surgery, for example.
  
• While use of any surgical instrument involves some risk, studies demonstrate that the Relieva Balloon Sinuplasty system is safe and effective in relieving symptoms of sinusitis.
  

Conventional Sinus Surgery, or FESS

Using a procedure called functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), experienced ENTs at Mount Sinai South Nassau place specialized instruments into the nose using a long, thin, flexible tube, the endoscope. The tube holds a tiny camera and other instruments that help the surgeon see inside the nose and nasal cavities and to enlarge the sinus opening. 

Learn More

Watch a video showing how doctors use balloon sinuplasty to open blocked sinuses
What is sinusitis?