Maxillary sinus balloon lifting and deferred implantation of 50 osseointegrated implants: a prospective, observational, non-controlled study

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of minimally invasive antral membrane balloon elevation (MIAMBE). Twenty-seven patients with severe resorption of the posterior maxilla were treated by balloon catheter-assisted sinus lift procedure with deferred implant placement. Panoramic radiographs and computed tomography scans were obtained prior to surgery and at 6 months after surgery, before implantation. Data collected following surgery included inflammation, pain, bleeding, infection, and haematoma. Pain and inflammation were recorded using a six-point verbal rating scale (VRS). The patients were followed up for an average of 15 months. The initial sinus floor height was measured for each planned implant and compared with the height at 6 months post-surgery. The average bone height gain was 8.10±3.45mm (range 0.5–13.95mm). Inflammation on the VRS ranged from 0 to 3 (mean 0.97±0.85), while pain ranged from 0 to 4 (mean 0.87±1.19). There was a perforation of the Schneiderian membrane smaller than 2mm in one case. In another case, the balloon lift procedure had to be aborted and changed to the conventional Tatum technique due to breakage of the balloon inside the sinus. The results of this study show the balloon sinus lift technique to be an easy procedure to perform, with apparently low rates of inflammation and pain, and to provide sufficient quantity and quality of bone for the placement of osseointegrated implants.