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The Nose and Sinuses

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Otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist)

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We see patients for a variety of conditions related to their nose and sinuses. The following is a list of some of the most common problems that we treat:

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  • Deviated Septum

  • Nasal Polyps

  • Turbinate Hypertrophy

  • Epistaxis (Nosebleed)

  • Chronic Sinusitis (Sinus Disease)

  • Facial Trauma resulting in nasal/facial fractures

  • Foreign Objects in the nose

  • Septal Perforation

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The following are some of the most common in office procedures or outpatient surgeries that we provide.

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  • Cauterization and Control of nosebleeds

  • Nasal Septoplasty for deviated septum

  • Surgery for nasal fractures

  • Repair of Septal Perforations

  • Turbinate Reduction

  • Endoscopic Sinus Surgery and Balloon Sinuplasty

  • Removal of foreign body from the nose

For instructions about how to stop a nosebleed, click here:

For instructions about how to do nasal irrigation, click here:

For instructions about how to tell the difference between a cold and flu, click here:

Balloon Sinuplasty™

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Acute rhinosinusitis is typically treated with medications such as antibiotics, pain relievers and over-the-counter decongestants. For chronic sinusitis patients (those that have experienced a persistent problem for over three months), the first line of treatment is nasal steroid sprays and antibiotics.

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However, approximately 20% of chronic rhinosinusitis patients do not respond to medication and continue to experience symptoms such as fatigue, headache, yellow or green mucous drainage from the nose, trouble breathing through the nose, congestion, facial pain, pressure, etc. Sinusitis can be caused by bacterial/viral infections or a blockage in the opening of a sinus cavity. In these cases, surgical intervention is often required.

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Balloon Sinuplasty™ is one of the most significant changes in the treatment of sinusitis in the last 25 years. Balloon catheter treatment for blocked sinuses is a new modality in which a very small catheter with a balloon tip is placed via a guidewire into the target (infected/blocked) sinus. The balloons can then be expanded to a high pressure, permanently opening the bony ostia to approximately 6mm in size. The sinuses are then irrigated until they are clear. The best part of this procedure is that it is much safer and less painful than classical sinus surgery or even the endoscopic sinus surgery of the last 15 years. The old procedures usually required nasal packing to control bleeding. They were also much more dangerous procedures as there could be damage to the optic nerve and CSF leaks.

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This new procedure is surprisingly painless. The patient can usually go back to work the day after outpatient surgery. Published peer review results indicate that 97% of sinuses are successfully opened intraoperatively and that 98% of these operated sinuses are still open at six months. There is significant improvement in the patient’s quality of life and this result does seem to be permanent.

If you feel that you may have been suffering from chronic sinusitis please discuss this with Dr. LeSueur during your appointment and find out if you are a candidate for Balloon Sinuplasty™.

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