Balloon Catheter Dilation of the Frontal Sinus Ostium.

The decision to operate on the frontal sinus is based on persistent symptoms that have been refractory to appropriate medical therapy with associated radiographic evidence of disease by computed tomography. There is currently no evidence to support operating on radiographically negative frontal sinuses, regardless of the availability of technology or site of service options. There are many surgical procedures as well as a variety of different technologies available for the treatment of symptomatic, medically refractory frontal sinus disease.

In-office balloon catheter dilation: analysis of 628 patients from an administrative claims database.

Objectives/hypothesis: Balloon catheter dilation (BCD) of the paranasal sinuses is increasingly described as a standalone procedure in the office for minimally invasive treatment of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). This study evaluates CRS-related healthcare utilization before and after in-office treatment as performed by otolaryngologists within the United States in an all-comer population.

Study Design: Retrospective claims database analysis.