San Diego City Wire

• Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath, or fatigue. 
• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population, and is responsible for 4.1 million doctor visits per year. 
• After a balloon sinuplasty procedure, many people are able to return to their regular activities within a day or two.

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can help address chronic sinusitis, a condition that can become more debilitating the longer it goes untreated. Many ear, nose, and throat doctors (ENTs) recommend balloon sinuplasty, including Dr. Paul Shalch Lepe of SoCal Breathe Free.

"Someone who's been dealing with chronic sinusitis and whose life becomes sort of a series of sinus infections—that's an ideal patient that should consider balloon sinuplasty," Dr. Shalch Lepe told the San Diego City Wire. "That's the best way to address this issue and avoid recurring cycles of medication or potentially more invasive surgery."

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure to clear blocked sinuses, according to Healthline. This surgery is relatively new, having been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. Balloon sinuplasty is most often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis after attempts at other forms of treatment are ineffective. Balloon sinuplasty is fairly straightforward, and reported complications are minimal.

Balloon sinuplasty is becoming more popular because it has lower risks and a quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery, as noted by GoodRX. The procedure is performed in the office, is less expensive compared to the procedures conducted in a hospital setting, and is typically covered by insurance.

A balloon sinuplasty procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes, and patients typically recover within 1-2 days. Most patients can resume their normal activities in that time period, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week, according to Medium. By contrast, functional endoscopic sinus surgery procedures take 1.5–2 hours, and patients might need up to four weeks to fully recover from surgery, during which time they should avoid strenuous activities such as exercising.

A study reports that 91% of patients would choose to have a balloon procedure again, compared to only 49% of functional endoscopic sinus surgery patients.

According to SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Schalch Lepe is an otolaryngologist and ENT doctor in San Diego who specializes in sinus, allergy, and sleep treatments. He completed his residency in otolaryngology at the UC Irvine Medical Center at the UC Irvine School of Medicine. He also earned his medical degree at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico School of Medicine in Mexico City.