have largely remained the same, post-op care and surgical tool
updates have made the procedure easier for docs and less painful for
patients.
9 8
O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | A P R I L 2 0 1 5
B
alloon sinuplas-
ty has been the
gold standard
for minimally invasive
sinusitis treatment, but a
new technology promises
even less trauma while
opening up the sinuses.
The new treatment,
Vent-Os Sinus Dilation
System by SinuSys, uses
osmosis as part of a 2-step process to drain the sinuses. A clinician first inserts a
device that is similar to "a small dried-out sponge" into the opening of the frontal
sinuses, says Martin L. Hopp, MD, PhD, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Sinus
Center in Los Angeles. The device, the size of a grain of rice, is then left in the sinus
opening for 60 minutes. It self-expands as it soaks up the pus clogging the sinuses,
helping to open the passageways and drain the sinus. Patients can sit in the waiting
room between insertion and removal and it only requires the use of local anesthe-
sia. Plus, the cost compares to the more common balloon sinuplasty, says Dr. Hopp.
He notes that while it doesn't work for more moderate-to-severe cases, the non-
invasive procedure can be great for those who suffer from sinusitis but don't want to
undergo rounds of antibiotics or steroids. "It's a non-traumatic and painless way to
open the sinus," says Dr. Hopp.
— Kendal Gapinski
OSMOSIS OPTION
For a Truly Minimally Invasive Technique, Try Osmosis
z LOW IMPACT The Vent-Os Sinus
Dilation System by SinuSys is a less
invasive way to clear clogged sinuses.
