Vivaer nasal valve remodeling and Empty Nose Syndrome?

Colleen,
How do I find an expert in the Vivaer procedure in New York?

Donald

@donaldbernard-

Vivaer system has not been approved for all that long.

The original clinical trials were very small. Maybe 60 or so people. They had strict exclusion criteria. Most clinical trials are always going to be funded by the company who developed the device or drug. So I’m not sure what you are meaning by only finding clinical trials funded by the company who makes the device?

The providers who would be most interested in learning about this procedure would be ENTs who want to focus more on in office procedures. As their beliefs about OR surgeries are not confident.

If you pull up any ENT website, you can see what their location has to offer services and Vivaer would be listed. If you type New York+ ENT+ Vivaer I’m sure many pop up.

And if you go to the Aerin Medical website they have a list of ENTs on their that offer as well.

Don’t sound so skeptical of doctors listed through the company site. Any ENT who has that device in their office would want their name listed on the website as a locator.

Keep in mind that it is so new, that they most likely won’t be an ENT whom “specializes” in it per se, but perhaps just has more patients they have practiced it on, as @callalloo states in their post.

Do you know of any independent studies? I had a practicing doctor who is also a professor, as many doctors are, to help research for me and he could not find any. I could not find any. That is what I mean. Is it that complicated to understand? I guess I am being misunderstood. Where are the independent studies? I have seen 2 ENTs who are named on the studies and they say they were essentially working with Aerin to do the studies. One recommended the procedure for me and the other did not.

@donaldbernard-

I understand what you are asking. What I was explaining is that, being that it is a newer method/device, the clinical trials are most likely the only thing that would be available at this time. The next best thing is obviously an ENT who’s had enough of their own clinical experience to give those outcome statistics. With the cost of the device and it still considered new, and independent study might be not be available.

Best option would be to locate a couple ENTs who offer this and meet with them for consult/questions. Especially how many they’ve done so far.

There are many reasons why one ENT would recommend and another would not for you.
Have you been told you 100% have an issue in the nasal valve area?
Did you ask them what there reasoning was?

I have already done what you suggest and more.

There is very little information on Vivaer. I had a doctor who is also a professor of medicine look for research on the product and he informed me that he cannot find much at all and that he does not recommend me doing the procedure. I have already spoken to 2 of the named authors of the clinical studies as they are ENTs in New York and I went to them as a patient. But they actually are very limited in what they are willing to tell me about the procedure and what their experience was with other patients who they did the procedure on.

@donaldbernard-

That’s great that you are so proactive. Really important.

Have you been diagnosed specifically with narrowness or nasal valve collapse? Perhaps that’s why it has not been recommended to you.

@nrd1, Do you know anyone in New York that is an expert in nasal air flow or an expert in the Vivaer procedure? That is what I am looking for. Are you a doctor? Otherwise, I think I am pretty much in line with you on what information is available out there. I know that it is presumptuous to say that with just a few comments on a board, but I have been through the ringer on this and I think you are about in line with me as far as information on this and how to handle it. Have you had Vivaer? I would be interested in that. If you are a doctor or some other medical expert on the nose then my apologies. I just feel you are talking to me as an authority, otherwise I get the distinct impression you are talking down to me.

@donaldbernard-

If you come to a forum
looking for perspectives or advice, you can’t truly be helped without some clarifying questions.
So if someone takes the time to ask you questions, I would not take offense to that or take it as being authoritative. I would more take it as someone showing interest to help.

Good luck to you and your search

The problem is that the forum is anonymous and people say a lot of baloney on these forums.