LA Harbor News

• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson underwent a sinus procedure shortly before announcing his resignation.
• After his procedure, Johnson returned to work that afternoon.
• Balloon sinuplasty can be done in as little as 30 minutes, and recovery time is minimal.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation in early July, following a string of controversies and scandals throughout his almost 3 years in office, CNBC reported.  During the 2 days leading up to his announcement, dozens of members of Johnson’s own party called for him to step down, expressing their lack of confidence in the Conservative Party leader. 

Johnson said he will remain in office until a new party leader is chosen to take over. 

Two weeks before he said “Hasta la vista, baby” in his final "Prime Minister's Questions" session, Johnson took a quick trip to a hospital to take care of a sinus issue. 

Johnson had a sinus procedure in late June, with a medical source saying that he likely had a functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) to treat chronic sinusitis. 

According to The Guardian, Johnson arrived at the hospital around 6 a.m. and was home by 10 a.m. With one type of FESS, balloon sinuplasty, a doctor may insert a small balloon into the patient's nostril and then inflate the balloon so that the patient’s blocked sinus will expand. This procedure does not include facial incisions, and there are rarely complications. 

“One (type of sinus procedure) is the balloon sinuplasty,” Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free told LA Harbor News. “Obviously this is by far the most effective tool at our disposal to opening the sinus passageways in a minimally invasive way, providing for a quick recovery and an effective, long-lasting result.”

Johnson was able to return to his office and attend meetings during the afternoon after having the procedure, Bloomberg reports. 

Balloon sinuplasty is also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery. It is a minimally invasive procedure used to clear blocked sinuses. This relatively new procedure was approved in 2005 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure, according to Healthline. After the procedure’s completion, many patients are able to return to their regular activities within a day or two. Some patients can even drive themselves home after the procedure.

According to GoodRx, balloon sinuplasty is more popular because it carries a relatively low risk and has a quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery. The procedure does not require the removal of any bone or facial tissue, leading to less pain and swelling and a lower risk of infection.

Readers can learn more about sinusitis or balloon sinuplasty and take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz from SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.