Carrie Hartman, her husband and two-year-old son of Denver, Colo., moved to Charlottesville in the summer of 2015, where she then had their second child. Carrie had, at that point, been experiencing a nightly chronic cough for about five years. She had visited several ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, but none of them could find any problems requiring a sinus treatment.
Attending UVA for grad school, Carrie became familiar with UVA Health System and decided to schedule an appointment with Spencer Payne, MD. “I felt comfortable with the system when I looked up ‘top ENT docs in Charlottesville,’ and Dr. Payne’s name popped up.”
Balloon Sinuplasty: Another Option Besides Sinus Surgery
It was during this appointment that Payne diagnosed Carrie with a collapsed sinus (also called silent sinus syndrome). This condition typically requires traditional sinus surgery, but Payne offered Carrie another treatment option called balloon sinuplasty. This simple procedure uses a specially designed balloon to open up the sinus cavity and:
- Offers faster recovery time
- Creates less risk of infection
- Involves no cutting of tissue
- Requires no general anesthesia
“I had never heard of balloon sinuplasty until Dr. Payne told me about it,” Carrie says. “When I looked into it online, it was definitely the right choice for me. I went into the office one morning and was back home within two and a half hours.”
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A Sinus Treatment Without Pain
Carrie didn’t have to visit the operating room or suffer the anxieties of anesthesia and recovery time. A mom of two young boys, Carrie wanted to be back on her feet quickly so she could be at home with them. After the procedure, Carrie was able to go right back home and felt completely normal by the next day. “My nose tickled a little like I was going to sneeze for the rest of the day, but other than that, there was really no recovery time.”
Balloon sinuplasty can be a viable option if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional sinus surgery. “I would definitely recommend this treatment to others with sinus issues,” says Carrie. Since the surgery, Carrie and her family have moved back to Denver. Her cough has improved and her sinus remains open.