Dr. Brad Otto uses a non-invasive sinus procedure on a patient. A new clinical trial at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is examining how the new approach to sinus procedures can help patients with chronic symptoms improve their nasal airflow. [Image from The Ohio State University]
Dr. Brad Otto, an ENT-Otolaryngologist at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, is conducting the clinical trial to see how the non-invasive procedure can give surgery-like results.
“It opens up the nasal valve to really improve airflow,” Otto said in a press release. “People are impressed with the change it’s causing and the results they’re experiencing.”
Sinus pain and inflammation affects millions of Americans each year. It can cause pain and discomfort in the sinuses, nasal discharge, nasal congestion, sinus headaches and more. Treatment has traditionally involved medication, breathing strips or invasive surgeries.
The new non-invasive method involves using a computer simulation of airflow through the nasal passage to measure small changes in the physical structure of the nasal cavity. This can help doctors determine how patients feel about their breathing, rather than having to perform painful surgeries to remove bone or tissues.
The new procedure can be performed in 15 minutes in a doctor’s office. Once completed, the results are permanent.
“Our goal is to determine what makes patients happy with their nasal airflow,” Otto said. “This procedure can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life.”
