Dr. Ethan Handler sits down to answer some common questions regarding the
In-Office Balloon Sinuplasty procedure and what to expect when you've decided to breathe well and live better.
What is an IOBS?
Dr. Handler: What is an IOBS? So IOBS is basically an acronym for in-office balloon sinuplasty.
Does the in office balloon sinuplasty procedure hurt?
Dr. Handler: That's a good question. So pain is very subjective. No. And so I like to tell patients this all the time I've had this done. Okay. So I'm speaking from personal experience. I tell people it's weird. Okay. And the reason why it's weird is because it's a novel experience. It's not something you've ever had done before. And so it's not meant to be painful again, it's just weird. And so a lot of what goes into while you're awake having something done is myself or the other surgeons at ADVENT talking you through the procedure as things are happening so you're not just sitting there in the dark with things occurring.
How long does the in office balloon sinuplasty procedure take and am I awake?
Dr. Handler: So the procedure, I'd say on average is about 15 minutes. You are awake, but I've had patients sleep through this. I've had patients have a full-on conversation with me through this.
What is the recovery time for in office balloon sinuplasty?
Dr. Handler: So there's kind of the acute recovery time and then the longer-term play. And so what that means is most patients get back on with their normal lives between zero and two days. We don't prescribe pain medication. Tylenol is fine after. So I don't expect that you need a pain medication requirement. I haven't prescribed that in three years. The longer-term play here is, well, at what point do you start feeling the effects of the procedure? And again, it's a bell curve, but I'd say on average, most patients are feeling great or better by about six weeks down the road.
Dr. Ethan Handler is one of ADVENT's many certified sleep & sinus surgeons. All of ADVENT's care providers share the goal of guiding you every step of the way throughout you patient journey. Things like different sleep gimmicks aren't solutions that can be relied upon to solve your breathing issues forever. Instead of wasting money on chinstraps and phony mattresses, consider the opportunity to undergo one of ADVENT's permanent solutions so you can get your breathing routine back on track in no time.
If you'd like to hear a true story, watch Andy's story and hear how he was able to ditch his routine visits to the pharmacy aisle for nasal congestion and sinus infections.