Review of balloon sinuplasty.
OBJECTIVE
Sinus surgery tools are constantly being developed. This review will focus on new devices (popularly called sinuplasty) for use in ostial dilation.


RESULTS
Balloons for sinus ostial dilation are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are used worldwide. There have been presentations, publications and discussions concerning these devices. One large level-2 evidence study has demonstrated these devices to be well tolerated and reliable.


CONCLUSIONS
Sinuplasty may represent an exciting and minimally invasive set of devices. They may also represent a premature attempt to transfer dilation into otolaryngology. The emerging data suggest the first statement, with excellent outcomes. More long-term data could still prove the second statement correct. Research and development will make these devices a 'hot topic' in sinus surgery for 2007-2008.
Vaughan
Winston C
WC
California Sinus Institute, Clinical Faculty, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, California 94303, USA. sinusmd@aol.com
D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004724:Endoscopy; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000601:surgery*