Indy Standard

• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson underwent a sinus procedure shortly before announcing his resignation.

• He had the procedure in the morning and returned to work later that same day.

• A balloon sinuplasty procedure can take 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. 

In late June, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had a minor sinus procedure, The Guardian reported. Johnson went to the hospital around 6 a.m. and was home by 10 a.m. A medical source said Johnson likely had a functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), which is used to treat chronic sinusitis.

One method of FESS is when a doctor inserts a small balloon into the patient's nostril, then inflates the balloon to widen the patient's blocked sinus. This procedure does not involve facial incisions, and complications are rare.

"Balloon sinuplasty is done in the office," Dr. Anthony Sanders at Indianapolis Sinus Center told Indy Standard. "Generally, people leave the office somewhere around 15 to 30 minutes after their procedure and spend the rest of the day at home relaxing. The next day they're up and around. They may have cold symptoms like stuffy nose drainage, some sinus pressure and headaches. But in most people, those symptoms are relatively mild, and people are able to get back to normal activity in short order. Most of our patients are back to work within a couple of days."

On the day of his sinus procedure, Johnson was able to return to his office and attend meetings in the afternoon, Bloomberg reported.

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure used to clear blocked sinuses. This surgery is relatively new, having been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It’s also commonly referred to as the “smart sinus” procedure, according to Healthline.

After a balloon sinuplasty, many people are able to return to their regular activities within a day or two. Some people even drive themselves home after the procedure.

Balloon sinuplasty is becoming more popular because it has lower risks and a quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery, according to GoodRx. The procedure can take as little as 30 minutes and does not require the removal of any bones or facial tissue, leading to less pain and swelling and a lower risk of infection. 

To see if balloon sinuplasty is an option for you, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.