Hoosier State Today

The Indianapolis Sinus Center is thrilled to unveil the availability of VivAer, a noninvasive, FDA-approved technology that provides a lasting solution for people with chronic nasal airway obstruction (NAO).  

NAO is one of the most typical, but usually undiagnosed, conditions; a minimum of 20 million Americans suffer from nasal airway obstruction in the U.S. NAO is often created by anatomical factors in the nose that restrict airflow, including nasal valve collapse, enlarged turbinates, soft tissue swelling or a deviated septum. Common symptoms of NAO include nasal congestion or stuffiness, difficulty breathing through the nose, trouble sleeping and difficulty breathing well during exercise or exertion.  

Many patients who try to manage this condition with medications or nasal sprays sprays find they are not up to the task or offer only temporary relief. VivAer makes use of a thin, wand-like, temperature-controlled stylus that is attached to a console. The stylus is inserted into the nostril to gently remodel the nasal tissue to improve airflow using patented radio frequency technology that delivers exact therapeutic benefits. 

It is a single solution that can be used to treat the lateral nasal wall, the turbinates and soft tissue swelling. Treatment with VivAer can be performed with a local anesthetic during a routine office visit, with no incisions, minimal-to-zero downtime, and minimal discomfort. Patients typically return to normal activity on the same day.

“Providing the best possible treatment to patients is our No. 1 priority,” Dr. Anthony Sanders of Indianapolis Sinus Center told Hoosier State Today. “Chronic nasal airway obstruction or congestion can have a very negative impact on a person’s day-to-day life. Until VivAer, ENT physicians were lacking a single solution that enabled us to effectively treat the three key anatomical areas within the nasal valve that cause NAO. I am very excited to offer my patients this noninvasive treatment during a convenient office visit with only local anesthesia that will really improve their quality of life.”

Most patients begin to see improvement two to six weeks after treatment. Results from a prospective, multicenter pivotal clinical trial of VivAer found that 97% of patients treated with VivAer experienced significant improvement in nasal breathing, and 89% of respondents reported an increase in sleep quality two years following the treatment, as calculated by NOSE (Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation) scores.

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*Individual results may vary.