Getting Ready for Balloon Sinuplasty

How is the procedure done?

• The goal is to open the natural drainage pathways of the sinuses and to clear them out.
• Small telescopes are used to see inside the nose and sinuses, and a small balloon is used to widen the sinus openings. Everything is done through the nostrils, so there are no cuts or scars on the face.
• It is usually done under IV anesthesia given by an anesthesiologist: you are fully asleep, with no breathing tube. Balloon sinuplasty alone or with turbinate reduction is sometimes done under local anesthesia only. If septoplasty is part of it, you are always asleep, under IV or general anesthesia. Balloon sinuplasty alone takes about 15 to 30 minutes, or about 30 to 45 minutes with turbinate reduction and septoplasty. You go home the same day.
• Turbinate reduction is done at the same time for most people. The turbinates are shelves of thin bone and lining inside each side of the nose. Part of the bone and soft tissue is removed to make more room for air to move.
• Septoplasty is also done for many people. It straightens the septum, the wall between your nostrils, by reshaping and removing some cartilage and bone. The outside of your nose will look the same afterward.
• We do not pack the nose with gauze.

Our balloon sinuplasty page explains who the procedure helps.

What Happens During a Balloon Sinuplasty?

A walk through the procedure, step by step.

Watch on YouTube

What are the risks?

Every procedure has risks. Your surgeon will go over them with you before the procedure, and you can ask about any of them.

• Anesthesia is safe, but it has some risks. The anesthesia team can go over them with you. Tell us if anyone in your family has had a problem with anesthesia.
• Pain, bleeding and infection are risks of any surgery.
• Bleeding from the nose for the first few days is expected.
• Leak of brain fluid. The sinuses are separated from the brain by thin bone. There is a small risk (under 1 in 100) of a leak of the fluid around the brain, which could need more surgery or lead to meningitis.
• Eye injury. The sinuses are also separated from the eyes by thin bone. There is a small risk (under 1 in 100) of injury to the eye or the muscles around it, which could cause loss of vision or double vision.
• Changes in smell and taste, including loss of smell.
• Watery eyes from extra tears.
• Sinus symptoms may continue or get worse, and more procedures may be needed.
• If turbinate reduction is also done: the turbinates can grow back over several years, and the blockage can return. Empty nose syndrome, a feeling that the nose is blocked or dry even though there is plenty of room, is rare with modern techniques.
• If septoplasty is also done: numb upper front teeth, usually temporary; some blockage may remain, and another procedure may be needed; a hole in the septum (septal perforation), which often causes no symptoms but can cause crusting, bleeding or a whistling sound when you breathe; a blood clot in the septum (septal hematoma), which can damage the cartilage and make the top of the nose sink if it is not treated; and toxic shock syndrome, which is very rare but can be life-threatening.

How do I get ready?

These steps are for IV or general anesthesia. If you are having local anesthesia only, you can eat and drink as usual, and we will tell you whether you need a driver.

• As soon as surgery is scheduled

  • Give us a list of every medicine, vitamin and supplement you take. We will tell you which to stop and when.
  • If you smoke or vape, stop now. Stopping helps your body heal and makes anesthesia safer, and the earlier you stop, the better: aim for at least 4 weeks before surgery, though even 2 weeks helps. Stay off until your surgeon says you have healed.
  • Plan time off. Most people go back to work or school the next day, or after 1 to 2 days. If you are also having septoplasty, plan on 3 to 7 days.
  • Plan your travel. For 1 week after the procedure, stay within about an hour of our office or an emergency room, and do not fly.
  • Arrange for an adult to drive you home. After general anesthesia, we recommend having an adult stay with you the first night.

• 1 to 2 weeks before

  • Aspirin is usually stopped 1 to 2 weeks before surgery. If you take aspirin or a blood thinner for your heart, a stent or stroke prevention, do not stop it on your own: your surgeon will check with whoever prescribes it.
  • Ask us whether to pause ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve).
  • Ask about herbal remedies and supplements, such as fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo or garlic pills, which can raise the chance of bleeding.
  • If you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, ask how to take them before surgery.
  • Get the supplies in the next section.

• The night before

  • Follow the eating and drinking instructions from our office or the surgery center exactly. If you eat or drink when you should not, surgery may need to be postponed for safety.
  • Many places ask for nothing to eat after midnight, and some allow clear liquids until a few hours before.
  • Take only the medicines we said to take that morning, with a small sip of water.
  • Get a good night’s sleep.

• The day of surgery

  • Wear comfortable clothes and a top that buttons or zips in the front, so you do not pull it over your nose afterward.
  • Wear glasses instead of contact lenses, and leave jewelry and valuables at home.
  • Bring your photo ID, insurance card and list of medicines.
  • Arrive about 15 minutes before your procedure time.
  • Bring a bottle of Afrin (oxymetazoline) nasal spray with you. You can buy it at any pharmacy or grocery store.
  • The procedure itself takes about 15 to 30 minutes, or about 30 to 45 minutes with turbinate reduction and septoplasty.

What happens after the procedure?

• You go home the same day.
• Some bleeding from the nose for the first few days is expected. If you are worried about how much you are bleeding, call us.
• Rinse your nose with saline at least 3 times a day until your first visit, and do not blow your nose for 1 week.
• No heavy lifting, strenuous exercise or swimming for 1 week, then ease back into your usual activities. Do not fly or travel out of town for 1 week.
• Your first visit is usually about 1 week after the procedure, when your surgeon cleans out the nose and sinuses.
• If you use CPAP, keep using it, starting the night of the procedure, unless your surgeon tells you otherwise.

The Balloon Sinuplasty Recovery Guide has everything you need after the procedure, including when to call us.

When should I call before surgery?