Balloon Sinuplasty or Septoplasty: What Problem Does Each Procedure Treat?
Persistent nasal congestion, breathing difficulties, facial and sinus pressure, headaches, and postnasal drip can be frustrating. To add to the frustration, these symptoms can have several possible causes and contributing factors.
Some individuals may experience recurring sinus issues due to chronic inflammation in the nasal and sinus passages, while some may have structural abnormalities that may be contributing to persistent symptoms.
Depending on the underlying cause of sinus symptoms, treatment also varies. Two procedures that may be considered for different sinus issues are balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty. They target different parts of the nose, as well as different issues. In that sense, these two procedures are not interchangeable.
Here at Arizona Breathe Free, we help patients in Phoenix, AZ, understand the difference between balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty, and when these two procedures may be considered.
What Is Balloon Sinuplasty?
Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is designed to widen and open blocked sinus passages.
The procedure uses a small balloon catheter that is guided and inserted into the opening of the affected sinus cavity. Once in place, the balloon is gently inflated, which can potentially widen the drainage pathway. Then, the balloon is deflated and removed.
This is a minimally invasive procedure, so unlike traditional sinus surgery, balloon sinuplasty generally, and when performed as a standalone procedure, does not involve any tissue or bone removal. A consultation with your ENT care provider can help assess if this may be the appropriate treatment option for your condition.
What does balloon sinuplasty treat?
Balloon sinuplasty primarily addresses blocked or narrowed sinus drainage pathways and may be clinically appropriate for patients with certain cases of chronic rhinosinusitis or recurrent acute rhinosinusitis when clinically appropriate.
Symptoms associated with sinus disease that balloon sinuplasty may address include:
- Nasal congestion
- Thick nasal discharge
- Facial pressure or discomfort
- Postnasal drip, or mucus dripping down the back of the throat
- Reduced sense of smell
- Persistent sinus symptoms
Balloon sinuplasty is intended to widen blocked sinus openings, but does not straighten or reposition the nasal septum in the way septoplasty does.
What Is Septoplasty?
Septoplasty is a surgical procedure designed to correct a deviated septum when the deviation significantly contributes to nasal obstruction or difficulty breathing through the nose.
A deviated septum is an anatomical variation in which the nasal septum, that thin wall of bone and cartilage that separates the nose into left and right nostrils, is off-center and misaligned. Ideally, the nasal septum sits relatively near the center, but some degree of deviation is common.
Significant deviation of the nasal septum may narrow one or both nasal passages and cause significant sinus issues, such as nasal blockage and breathing difficulties through the nose.
Septoplasty may be recommended and performed to reposition, reshape, or remove selected portions of the nasal septum responsible for the persistent obstruction.
What does septoplasty treat?
Septoplasty primarily treats nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum.
Symptoms associated with a deviated septum that septoplasty may address include:
- Persistent nasal obstruction
- Difficulty breathing through one or both sides of the nose
- A feeling that one side of the nose is more blocked than the other
- Frequent resorting to mouth breathing
- Nasal breathing difficulties that become more noticeable during sleep or physical activity
A positive finding for a deviated septum does not automatically mean that it is responsible for every nasal or sinus issue. It may coexist with other factors that may contribute to nasal obstruction.
Septoplasty corrects a deviated septum, but does not directly enlarge narrow sinus drainage openings in the way balloon sinuplasty does.
Balloon Sinuplasty vs Septoplasty: What’s the Difference?
Here’s a quick overview of the major differences between balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty:
While balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty may address overlapping symptoms, they are intended to address different underlying issues and conditions. This distinction is crucial in determining the appropriate treatment option for each individual.
Can Someone Need Both Balloon Sinuplasty and Septoplasty?
Possibly, yes, as sinus diseases and a deviated septum may occur at the same time.
An individual may have both narrowed sinus drainage pathways and a deviated septum, and both may be contributing to persistent sinus symptoms. In select cases where both conditions are significantly affecting daily life, work, sleep, and comfort, an ENT specialist may discuss the possibility of needing both balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty.
However, it’s important to make the distinction that having both conditions in the same person does not necessarily mean that both balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty procedures are required for treatment.
Your ENT care provider will evaluate your symptoms and their severity, clinical findings, response to previous treatments, preferences, and other individual health factors.
Which Procedure Is Right for Your Symptoms?
Whether balloon sinuplasty or septoplasty is right for you depends on a variety of factors and should not be determined based on symptoms alone.
Balloon sinuplasty may be one possible treatment option if the primary problem is impaired sinus drainage linked to chronic or recurrent sinus disease. Meanwhile, septoplasty may be considered as one of many treatment options if nasal obstruction is primarily linked to a deviated septum.
And sometimes, neither of these two procedures is the appropriate treatment option. Other approaches–such as saline irrigation, saline nasal sprays, allergy management, oral medications, or a combination of these approaches–may be considered first.
A consultation with your ENT care provider can help assess your symptoms and their severity, medical history, nasal anatomy, previous treatments, and other individual health factors to determine the appropriate treatment for you.
Conclusion: Understanding the Difference Between Balloon Sinuplasty and Septoplasty With Arizona Breathe Free
Arizona Breathe Free provides ear, nose, and throat care services, as well as balloon sinuplasty and septoplasty procedures for clinically appropriate cases. If you are experiencing persistent sinus problems that do not improve despite appropriate and conservative treatments, get in touch with our team to learn more about how we can help and discuss potential next steps.
We serve patients in Phoenix and the nearby Maricopa County neighborhoods.