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Safety and Feasibility of Balloon Sinuplasty for Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Children

Objectives: Balloon sinuplasty is a new technique that was recently introduced for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The initial experience in adults has been promising. The technique allows for restoring ventilation to the sinuses with minimal risk and trauma to the tissues. I present our initial experience of its use for treatment of CRS in children. Methods: I performed a prospective study of 30 children in whom medical therapy failed and who were scheduled for surgery. They were offered treatment with balloon sinuplasty of selected sinuses. The data collected included age, computed tomography score, and comorbid conditions. The primary outcome was the intraoperative success of dilation of the sinuses and the rate of adverse events due to the procedure. Results: The procedure was successful in 51 of 56 sinuses (91%) in 30 children. Five sinuses, of which 4 were hypoplastic maxillary sinuses and 1 was a frontal sinus, were not amenable to dilation. No complications or side effects were noted. Conclusions: The initial experience with balloon sinuplasty in children seems to be very encouraging. Because there is no bone or tissue removal, the procedure seems to be suitable for use in children. A hypoplastic sinus may not be amenable to balloon sinuplasty.