ADVANCING SINUS SURGERY.... OUTSIDE THE OPERATING ROOM
Markham, Ontario – May 8, 2012 – Today, the majority of sinus surgery is performed in an operating room setting with the patient under general anesthetic. Dr. Brad Mechor, a sinus specialist at the Calgary Sinus Centre is working to advance minimally invasive sinus treatment in the “Office Setting” using local anesthetic.
Endoscopic sinus surgery has been the standard for the surgical treatment of medically resistant chronic sinus disease. Over the last few decades, continued advancements in endoscopic sinus surgery and clinical research have been made resulting in a greater understanding of the disease process and various treatment options. One possible treatment option utilizes a suite of technologies called Balloon Sinuplasty™.
“We know that the majority of sinus problems can be improved with targeted surgical treatment to the main drainage area of the sinuses,” says Dr. Mechor. “If we are able to improve sinus drainage and ventilation while avoiding the operating room and the need for a general anesthetic, it will allow patients to return to normal function quickly with a rapid recovery time.”
Dr. Mechor has now treated a-half dozen patients using the Balloon Sinuplasty devices with results comparable to treating patients in the operating room.
“If the patient is a good candidate, has accessible anatomy and can tolerate the procedure, then Balloon Sinuplasty performed in the office setting is certainly a good option,” notes Dr. Mechor.
Using a small endoscope, a topical anesthetic is placed in the main drainage area of the sinuses and left in place for 15-20 minutes. A local anesthetic may be injected into the area as well. Next, a fibre-optic guide wire is placed into the target sinus to confirm access. A balloon is then inserted into the sinus drainage and is inflated to enlarge the sinus opening. In a recently reported clinical study1, most patients reported the office dilation to be tolerable or highly tolerable. There is minimal bleeding and packing is not used after the procedure. Recovery times vary but patients typically return to normal activities quickly.
“With ever increasing limitations to operating room access and longer waiting lists, this is a viable option for people with chronic sinus disease and should result in a significant cost savings for the health care system,” says Dr. Mechor.
“Although the procedure is not ideal for every patient suffering from chronic sinusitis, in-office Balloon Sinuplasty may be appropriate for a large number of patients who are not responding to medical management or who have declined OR-based surgery,” concludes Dr. Mechor.
About Johnson & Johnson Medical Companies (JJMC)
Johnson & Johnson Medical Products, a division of Johnson & Johnson Inc., markets and distributes medical device and diagnostic solutions for use in institutional and primary health care settings across Canada. We focus on providing minimally invasive treatment options spanning various medical procedures and disease states. Among the products represented by its various business units are: surgical instruments, orthopaedic implants, devices for women’s health including breast care, sinus surgery, infection prevention and general purpose sterilizers, hernia solutions, haemostatic products, cardiovascular and neurovascular diagnostics and treatment. JJMP’s Canadian headquarters are located in Markham, Ontario.
1 Karanfilov, et. al. Office-based balloon sinus dilation : A prospective multi-center study of 203 patients. Presented at the American Rhinologic Society meeting, April 2012, San Diego.
- 30 -
Information:
Courtney Cole
Corporate Communications
Johnson & Johnson Medical Companies
T: 905-946-2180
E: ccole2@its.jnj.com
Tags: