Sunshine Sentinel

• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson underwent a sinus procedure shortly before announcing his resignation.

• He had the procedure in the morning and returned to work later that same day.

• A balloon sinuplasty procedure can take as little as 30 minutes, and recovery time is minimal.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation in early July, following a string of controversies and scandals throughout his almost 3 years in office, CNBC reported.  During the 2 days leading up to his announcement, dozens of members of Johnson’s own party called for him to step down, expressing their lack of confidence in the Conservative Party leader. 

Johnson said he will remain in office until a new party leader is chosen to take over. 

Two weeks before he said “Hasta la vista, baby” in his final "Prime Minister's Questions" session, Johnson took a quick trip to a hospital to take care of a sinus issue. 

In late June, Johnson underwent a minor sinus procedure, The Guardian reported. He went to the hospital around 6 a.m. and was home by 10 a.m. A medical source said Johnson likely had a functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), which is a treatment for chronic sinusitis.

One method of FESS is when a doctor inserts a small balloon into the patient's nostril, then inflates the balloon to widen the patient's blocked sinus. This procedure does not involve facial incisions, and complications are rare.

On the day of his sinus procedure, Johnson was able to return to his office and attend meetings in the afternoon, Bloomberg reported.

"I really tell people that with balloon sinuplasty, they'll experience blood on the front of the nose for an hour or two, you're going to be stuffy for a couple days to probably a week, and you may have a headache for 12 hours or so. Usually, by the next day, people are feeling good enough to even go to work," Dr. Matthew Blair at Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Sunshine Sentinel. "Traditional sinus surgery is a little different. I tell people that you are going to have a headache for about three days. Drippy, bloody nose, possibly going to sit for 48 to 72 hours, and you're going to be generally stuffy for a week and a half to two weeks. With balloon sinuplasty, the recovery time is significantly shorter, hopefully the outcomes are permanent and then your quality of life is much improved."

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure used to clear blocked sinuses. This surgery is relatively new, having been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It’s also commonly referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure, according to Healthline. After a balloon sinuplasty, many people are able to return to their regular activities within a day or two. Some people even drive themselves home after the procedure.

Balloon sinuplasty is becoming more popular because it has lower risks and a quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery, according to GoodRx. The procedure can take as little as 30 minutes and does not require the removal of any bone or facial tissue, leading to less pain and swelling and a lower risk of infection.

Readers can learn more about sinusitis or balloon sinuplasty and take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz from Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.