Atlantic County Times

Dr. Nicola DeLorio said the balloon sinuplasty procedure could be a "game-changer" for people living with chronic sinusitis.

The procedure, which takes about 30 minutes, is performed endoscopically, introducing a balloon into the blocked sinus, which is then inflated to expand the sinus and relieve the blockage.

 A randomized control study of 81 patients concluded that the balloon sinuplasty procedure is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for chronic sinusitis. Patients reported significantly reduced symptoms. It also allows for quicker recovery times than traditional surgical treatments, DeLorio explained to Atlantic County Times. 

“For people with chronic sinusitis, balloon sinuplasty is really the game-changer,” DeLorio said. “It allows us to restore normal drainage to the sinuses, which then allows the sinuses to return to a normal function.”

DeLorio runs both the Accent Sinus Center and Accent Head and Neck Group based in Linwood. Her ENT practice uses the balloon sinuplasty procedure to help those living with chronic sinusitis. 

“Traditional sinus surgery that we've been doing for over 30 years, it really allowed us to cut open sinuses. We would clear out the lining of the sinuses… recovery could be anywhere from six to eight weeks or longer,” DeLorio said.

Balloon sinuplasty can lead to better outcomes by preserving the sinuses’ normal draining function. Unlike traditional methods, it does not require the removal of any tissue, DeLorio said.

“It's more of a functional treatment, so we aren't pulling, tearing, and ripping ... we are just reestablishing proper drainage," she said. 

"The balloon dilates the normal drainage opening of the sinus but does it in a way that doesn’t fracture the bone to make the opening bigger. The overlying lining of the mucosal is intact," DeLorio said. "And the way our sinuses drain is through cilia, so if we leave that lining intact that mucus will drain readily out that newly widened opening."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2018 that chronic sinusitis affects almost 30 million U.S. adults — which is roughly 10% of that population group.

DeLorio started her medical career in Piscataway for two years and did clinical rotations in North Jersey. She did a residency year as a general surgeon and four years of ENT and facial plastics for hospitals with the St. Barnabas Medical Center group.