Balloon Sinuplasty Complications: When Relief Turns to Risk

A popular treatment option for chronic or recurrent sinus infections, undergoing balloon sinuplasty comes with risks that doctors may not adequately warn patients about. Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, can cause symptoms ranging from loss of smell and pressure or pain in the face, to headaches, fevers, and fatigue or malaise. For some, prescription medications and other interventions may treat this condition and manage the resulting signs. The sinuplasty procedure may provide relief to those for whom the traditional medical management options are not effective. Each year, there are about 250,000 sinus surgeries performed across the U.S.

If patients suffer adverse health effects due to balloon sinuplasty procedures, they have options to hold negligent healthcare providers liable. Therefore, if you suffered complications during sinus surgery in Elko, Nevada, call Bradshaw Law at 775-738-7444 to discuss your right to seek compensation. 

What Is Balloon Sinuplasty?

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure. Patients may undergo this sinus surgery in-office, in an out-patient surgery center, or in a hospital setting. During the procedure, a surgeon will thread a guidance wire, followed by a small balloon, through the patient’s nostril and into the sinus opening. The balloon is then inflated, enlarging the sinus cavity. The balloon is removed, but the sinus cavities remain dilated, allowing better drainage.

Patients who are typically good candidates for this procedure include adults with mild forms of sinusitis, and who do not have nasal polyps or tumors. Surgeons may suggest it for those with affected areas in specific sinuses, and who can tolerate undergoing the procedure under only local anesthesia.

What Are the Risks of Balloon Sinuplasty Procedures?

Balloon sinuplasty is widely used because of its safety; however, there are serious risks associated with undergoing this procedure. Prior to performing this type of sinus surgery, doctors will review the common, known risks with patients. Many patients determine the benefits outweigh these dangers, and choose to undergo the sinuplasty. Acknowledging the risks does not, however, relieve them of their legal options in the event they suffer complications that result from medical negligence.

Patients can typically go home the same day of their procedures. For the majority of patients, recovery from balloon sinus surgery includes some mild discomfort in the nasal area and nose, and sometimes nasal drainage for a couple of days post-operation. In other cases, however, patients may experience complications and injuries, often requiring additional or extended medical care. 

Serious injuries that can result from balloon sinuplasty include:

Infection

Patients may develop infections following balloon sinus surgery. Infections can cause fever, pain and facial pressure, drainage, and a loss of smell or taste. Without proper treatment, an infection may lead to tissue damage, an abscess formation, and sepsis, among other serious conditions.

Treatment of infections may involve antibiotics, decongestants, steroids or other medications. In rare cases, needle aspirations or additional sinus surgery may be required.

Sinus Perforation

In rare cases, the balloon can tear the thin lining separating the sinuses from the surrounding structures. When sinus perforation occurs, it can cause chronic sinusitis, as well as lead to serious or fatal complications, such as meningitis or a cerebrospinal fluid leak.

Treatment of sinus perforation depends on the severity of the tear, its location, and other factors. Patients may need medications, nasal sprays, or other medical management.

Cerebral Spinal Fluid Leak

Patients can also suffer cerebral spinal fluid leaks due to doctor mistakes during sinus surgery. The balloon can damage the thin bone that separates the sinuses from the base of the skull. As such, this creates a pathway for the cerebral spinal fluid, which surrounds and protects the brain, to leak into the nose. Cerebral spinal fluid leaks create pathways for bacteria to reach the membranes surrounding the brain, which can cause meningitis, a life-threatening infection. Patients can also develop a brain abscess because of these types of injuries. 

To prevent serious complications, those with cerebral spinal fluid leaks require prompt diagnosis and treatment. Many will be admitted to the hospital, where they may receive antibiotics. Some may undergo endoscopic surgery to repair the leak, while open surgery is required in complex cases.

Stroke

A stroke is a rare but serious complication of balloon sinuplasty. If the balloon or surgical instruments damage nearby blood vessels, it can interrupt blood flow to the brain, causing a stroke. Symptoms of stroke include sudden weakness, confusion, difficulty speaking, or loss of balance. 

Immediate medical attention is required to minimize the damage and improve outcomes for stroke victims. Even with proper medical treatment, however, stroke may result in long-term disabilities or require extended rehabilitation.

Carotid Artery Injury

Balloon sinuplasty can also lead to damage to the carotid artery, which runs close to the sinus cavities. Injury to the carotid artery can result in life-threatening bleeding or blood clots, which may lead to stroke or other serious complications. 

Emergency surgical intervention may be necessary to control bleeding and repair the damaged artery.

Injury to the Eyes or Brain

During balloon sinuplasty, improper placement or movement of the balloon can cause trauma to nearby structures, including the eyes or brain. Damage to the eyes may result in vision loss, while injury to the brain can lead to neurological issues, seizures, or permanent cognitive impairment. 

These types of injuries require immediate medical evaluation and, in some cases, surgical intervention.

Recovering Damages for Injuries During Sinus Surgery

Patients who suffer injuries during sinus surgery due to medical mistakes, may recover damages for their resulting losses. Through a medical malpractice claim, injured patients can recover economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses include costs such as current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity. Non-economic losses, on the other hand, include the less-easily quantified costs of the injuries, including pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.

How Do You Prove Doctor Negligence?

To successfully recover economic and non-economic damages for sinus surgery injuries, you will need to prove the doctor acted negligently, or otherwise did not provide the accepted level of care. Establishing negligence for the purpose of a medical malpractice claim involves establishing four key elements – the doctor owed the patient a duty of care, the duty of care was breached, the breach of care directly caused injury to the patient, and the patient suffered losses due to the injury.

Duty of Care

When a doctor takes someone on as a patient, they also take on a responsibility to provide that patient with the accepted level of care. To prove duty of care in a sinus surgery malpractice case, you must provide evidence that you were treated by the physician against whom you’re taking legal action. For example, you may provide invoices or appointment notes to establish you had a doctor-patient relationship.

Breach of Duty

Nevada requires a medical affidavit to file medical malpractice lawsuits, which can prove essential in establishing breach of duty. In this sworn statement, a medical professional will attest to supporting the claim of negligence. A medical expert will give testimony regarding why the actions of the doctor breached the accepted standard, and how a reasonable medical professional would treat the patient in the same or similar conditions. For example, this may include operating and causing injury while suffering from doctor fatigue.

Causation

In addition to explaining why the doctor’s actions breach the care standard, a medical expert will also help establish causation by explaining the link between the doctor’s breach of care and the patient’s injury. 

Damages

Nevada law allows patients to recover damages for their resulting losses through medical malpractice claims. To receive compensation, patients need to prove that they suffered actual losses due to their injuries. You may establish damages through financial documents, including billing invoices for medical care and earnings statements from your employer. Testimony or letters from yourself, your family and friends, and your co-workers can aid in establishing less tangible costs, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.

If you suffered injuries during a balloon sinus surgery, contact our medical malpractice attorney at Bradshaw Law today to discuss your rights.