The Tale of the Flight Attendant and the PROPEL Sinus Stent

I often link to local news stories about the very latest sinus surgery technologies because these video crews do what I cannot: produce compelling narratives that help visualize what sinus surgeons do every day.

This recent story about a flight attendant who contended with agonizing sinusitis for years is especially good. Sinusitis is an acutely painful condition where facial pain can give rise to symptoms such as headaches and interrupted sleep. Sinusitis is also widely known to be especially sensitive to changes in ambient pressure. This is just about the worst ailment you can have as a flight attendant.

The woman in question, Chicago-based Zandra Nicholaides, underwent endoscopic sinus surgery to help remove the barriers to drainage in her nasal sinuses. But the innovation that may have led to an even more permanent recovery was the PROPEL Sinus Stent, a flexible, spring-like device that holds sinus cavities open while releasing a healing steroid into the surrounding tissues.

Here’s the video:

In case you missed that final statement, Ms. Nicholaides said, “I have yet to have a sinus headache. I’ve been flying now for almost a whole month, and I’m up and down on the aircraft four times a day. And I’ve not had one sinus headache.”

To learn more about the PROPEL stent, please contact my LA sinus surgery practice here.

Tags: propel sinus stent, sinus surgery, sinusitis, videos