Dr. Frank Brettschneider, head of Port Huron Ear, Nose, and Throat in Michigan, has practiced otolaryngology for a total of 30 years. In that time, Dr. Frank Brettschneider has become adept in the use of balloon sinuplasty to treat sinus infections.

1. BALLOON SINUPLASTY - HOW IT WORKS
Frank Brettschneider

2. INTRODUCTION
 Dr. Frank Brettschneider, head of Port Huron Ear, Nose, and Throat in
Michigan, has practiced otolaryngology for a total of 30 years. In that
time, Dr. Frank Brettschneider has become adept in the use of balloon
sinuplasty to treat sinus infections.
Sinus infection, also known as sinusitis, occurs when the tissues that
line the sinus cavity become inflamed and block the otherwise open
passages. The sinuses then trap the air and mucus that ordinarily pass
smoothly through, and this blockage manifests as pain and pressure. In
some patients, this condition becomes chronic and resists conservative
treatment, such as decongestants and steroids.
Patients with chronic sinusitis must often undergo surgery, which has
traditionally involved the cutting away of tissue that blocks the sinus
passageways. Recently, however, the development of balloon sinuplasty
has allowed surgeons to open the sinus cavities without the need for
cutting.

3. BALLOON SINUPLASTY
 Balloon sinuplasty introduces a catheter into the
sinus passage. The catheter includes an un-inflated
balloon that the surgeon inflates once it is in place.
The surgeon sprays a saline solution that washes
infectious material out of the sinus cavity, while the
balloon itself helps to open the blocked airway.
The structure of the balloon spreads the walls of the
passageway where it rests, yet does not require the
removal of any tissue. Patients who undergo balloon
sinuplasty typically return to normal function after a
few days, and most report improvement at least two
years after the procedure's completion.