Fed: Medical breakthrough brings relief for sinusitis sufferers

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2005
Fed: Medical breakthrough brings relief for sinusitis sufferers

A ground-breaking surgical procedure being trialled at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne
.. could spell the end of blocked noses for anyone suffering from sinusitis.

The world-first technique is called balloon sinuplasty .. it's been successfully trialled
on 10 sinusitis patients .. and is expected to gain commercial approval next year.

The procedure involves a balloon catheter .. which is inserted through the nostrils
and inflated to clear blockages and combat infection.

It's less invasive than traditional sinusitus surgery .. has no known side effects
.. and is believed to be permanent.







First trialled at The Alfred .. it's a two-hour operation performed under general anaesthetic.

Another trial will be conducted involving 50 patients at The Alfred hospital .. to
see how long the results last.

AAP RTV cb/gfr/tm/rt

KEYWORD: SINUS (MELBOURNE)

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