Sunshine Sentinel

• The prime minister of Japan underwent sinus surgery on a Saturday and returned to work on Monday.
• He said the procedure went "smoothly" and thanked everyone for their "concerns and encouragement."
• A local doctor said that innovation has made sinus surgery faster and less invasive.

Chronic sinusitis is one of the most common chronic medical conditions among Americans, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and it can have a negative effect on a person's quality of life and be a painful experience as well.

The condition can affect anyone, and earlier this month Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan underwent sinus surgery in Tokyo to resolve chronic sinusitis issues he's been suffering with since last year, according to AP News.

“The surgery went smoothly, and I have returned to my official residence,” Kishida told AP News. “Thank you very much, everyone, for your concerns and encouragement.” 

He had the surgery on a Saturday and said he would return to work on Monday. Kishida had been treating his chronic sinusitis and polyps with medication, but he chose to have the surgery “in order to be in perfect health.” Throughout the past year, local media had sometimes commented on Kishida's stuffy nose and congestion.

Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers spoke about chronic sinusitis and how a relatively new type of surgery called balloon sinus dilation, or balloon sinuplasty, can be a very efficient remedy for chronic sinusitis. 

“Over the last 10 years, we've really improved something called balloon sinus dilation, otherwise known as balloon sinuplasty,” Blair told the Sunshine Sentinel. “We take a small catheter that is inserted into the natural opening of the sinus. We then insert the balloon into the opening of the sinuses and dilate that balloon, dilating the natural opening of the sinus, and then we deflate the balloon. This takes less than a minute for each sinus. What that does is it permanently opens the sinuses, so we can get treatment into the sinus. The sinus is then prevented from being blocked from whatever the cause may be." 

According to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center, balloon sinuplasty is quick, lasting 10 to 15 minutes. Recovery is usually only one to two days. Most patients resume their normal activities within that time period, but they also may experience swelling for about a week.

Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) procedures take between one and a half and two hours. Patients often need up to four weeks to fully recover and should not avoid strenuous activities like exercising during that time.

According to NCBI, a study was done to compare patients who underwent FESS with patients who opted for balloon sinuplasty to treat chronic sinusitis. It was found that, although both procedures were effective, balloon sinuplasty patients needed fewer antibiotic treatments after having the procedure. FESS involves removing sinus tissue, but balloon sinuplasties are “less traumatic,” as there is no removing of tissue. 

"The recovery is very favorable for the patient, compared to traditional sinus surgery,” Blair said. “Most people will benefit from it, to the point where they won't need a second procedure. There's always traditional sinus surgery, if you fail something minimally invasive. That's why it's called 'smart sinus surgery,' because it's very tailored to a specific sinus or all the sinuses that you need.”

If you're interested in learning more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.