12.11.09 | Brandon Glenn

Minnesota’s Entellus Medical treats first sinusitis patient in office-based study

MAPLE GROVE, Minnesota — Entellus Medical has enrolled and treated its first patient in an office-based study of the company’s less-invasive treatment method for chronic sinus infections.

It’s an important milestone for the company as it endeavors to convince more insurers to cover its FinESS sinus treatment in an office setting, Chief Executive Tom Ressemann said. The treatment is more widely available at hospitals and Entellus seeks to prove that it can be performed more cheaply and just as effectively in a clinical setting.

style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The first patient was treated at Central California Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Fresno in a procedure that lasted 10 minutes. Entellus plans to enroll up to 75 patients in the study by the end of 2010.

Entellus’ FinESS sinus treatment is designed to relieve the need for antibiotics or invasive surgery to treat chronic sinusitis, a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passage become inflamed and swollen, interfering with nasal drainage. The company says its treatment reduces a patient’s recovery time, because it doesn’t require removing bone or sinus tissue and can be done with minimal bleeding. The procedure is performed by inserting a balloon catheter into a patient’s nasal cavity through a tiny incision under the lip, then expanding the balloon in the passageway and draining excess mucus from the sinus.

Last month, Entellus closed a $30 million round of funding that was led by new investor Essex Woodlands Health Ventures and supported by existing investors Split Rock Partners and SV Life Sciences. The company has raised $57 million overall, Ressemann said.

Ressemann expects FinESS to receive European regulatory approval next year, which would allow Entellus to begin selling the product in the European Union.

Brandon Glenn MedCity News

Brandon Glenn is the Ohio bureau chief for MedCity News.

more

Tags: Entellus Medical, FinESS, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Northeast Ohio

Comments Post a comment

I am looking at my options following a ct scan of my sinuses. I know a little bit about traditional sinus surgery and am trying to find alternatives. Balloon sinuplasty looks very promising – less invasive and quicker recovery.
I have not heard of the Finess procedure. I am interested to learn more about how invasive it is and how long the recovery time is.

Comment by Tom — December 14, 2009 @ 4:31 pm

Hi Tom,

I would look at Balloon Sinuplasty over Finess. The Balloon Sinuplasty tools have treated thousands of patients, and the new procedure is still experimental. You have more treatment options with Balloon Sinplasty, and you dont have to have a hole punched in your gum! Ask an ENT surgeon who has used the tool at least 100 times. Good Luck

Comment by Nick — December 23, 2009 @ 9:47 am

There are pros and cons to each treatment. The Finess procedure is FDA approved and less invasive than balloon sinuplasty. However Balloon sinuplasty is probably better for the frontal sinus.

Comment by Paul — December 31, 2009 @ 9:29 am

didnt realize there was a difference in the 2 procedures ?? every time i type balloon sinuplasty for minnesota, i get Finess. anyone elaborate ?

Comment by LEe — January 9, 2010 @ 2:14 am

I know that ENT Specialty Care of Minnesota does balloon sinuplasty – there are a bunch more too. I would think you can go to the company website and find more.

Comment by Deb — January 18, 2010 @ 6:07 pm

Finess punches a hole through into your sinuses (gum or possibly cheek?) while balloon sinuplasty goes through nasal passages. balloon has been around longer and more of a track record. i know a lot less about Finess than Balloon (had traditional surgery and when that didn’t take did balloon).

all good options over traditional surgery it seems.

best of luck.

Comment by elza — January 19, 2010 @ 1:37 am