West LA Times

• Chronic sinusitis affects about 11% of adults, a total of approximately 30 million people.
• Studies show chronic rhinosinusitis suffers have a 60 to 75% higher sleep disturbance rate than the average population
• Balloon Sinusplasty was first FDA approved in 2005. 

A Southern California physician is highlighting a revolutionary sinus procedure as “a second renaissance” for patients’ breathing, sleeping and quality-of-life transformation.

Dr. Matt Hershcovitch, of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, a clinic specializing in nasal and sinus surgery, told West LA Times that balloon sinuplasty is bringing sinus surgery into the 21st Century and is becoming the standard of care for patients suffering from chronic sinus issues. He described the treatment options available to patients diagnosed with chronic sinusitis.  

“Where we are right now, you can almost think of it as a second renaissance,” he said. “The first renaissance occurred in the late '90s and early 2000s when the endoscope was brought into popular use. This revolutionized sinus surgery and allowed us to actually see what we were doing in the nose. At this point, sinus surgery became more successful, with the advent of what we would call functional endoscopic sinus surgery, where we would use the endoscope to guide us to perform surgery within the nose to widen the sinus openings and remove the disease.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic sinusitis affects about 11% of adults, or nearly 30 million people.

The American Journal of Rhinology notes that adults who have chronic rhinosinusitis often have trouble sleeping at rates 60 to 75% higher than the average population.

One option making a difference in patients’ lives is balloon sinuplasty, which was approved by the FDA in 2005. The minimally invasive procedure involves no cutting and is performed with a small balloon placed into the sinus through a nostril and then expanded, which opens the sinuses, allowing the patient to breathe better.

“The second renaissance is where we like to shine right now, and this is the development of minimally invasive balloon sinuplasty. This is what we specialize in here at SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers,” Hershcovitch said. “This has allowed us to perform a procedure that is just as effective, if not more so, than sinus surgery in the operating room, but with a minimal recovery time, without a general anesthetic. It can be done in the office, the patient goes home after and they recover very quickly. This has revolutionized how we're treating these patients, and we're on the cutting edge here at our center to provide this service to our patients, so they don't have to go under the knife. They don't have to go under a general anesthetic. It's highly effective, it's extremely safe and it provides a wonderful result.”

A study published by the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy noted that patients who don't receive any treatment for their chronic sinusitis can face myriad health issues, including vision loss, infections, as well as higher risks of stroke and heart attack, according to Mayo Clinic. 

“Our practice philosophy is to breathe better, feel better and live better,” Hershcovitch told the West LA Times. “Quality of life and the patient’s experience are the cornerstones of our practice. Every patient who comes in, we evaluate them fully and thoroughly, and see what can be done to help improve their quality of life.”

Research published by the American Journal of Rhinology shows that 91% of patients would have a balloon procedure again, while only 49% of functional endoscopic sinus surgery patients would have the procedure again, showing how satisfied balloon sinuplasty patients have been with this revolutionary, minimally invasive surgery.

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