Like many physicians, Dr. James Atkins grew up wanting to help others. Medicine seemed like a natural choice for him, but he never expected to become one of the top sinus specialists in the country.
In 2007, Atkins developed a unique sinus procedure called FinESS, an alternative to Balloon Sinus Surgery (BSS). FinESS dilates two blocked sinus areas behind the cheekbones and eyes, relieving the pressure for most patients.
“I was doing general ENT (ear, nose and throat) work and I started noticing that there needed to be more focus on sinus problems,” Atkins explains.
In 2006, he decided to search for another way to treat patients. “I spent one year in Minneapolis operating on models, developing this new process and finally in September of 2007 I did the first FinESS procedure.”
FinESS is designed to treat the sinuses most commonly affected by chronic sinusitis, which Atkins explains is the swelling of the sinuses.
“FinESS is a procedure that takes less time, there is no tissue removal and no follow-up visits,” Atkins says. “Whereas FESS is performed under general anesthesia, takes anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours and has a longer recovery.”
Atkins became one of the first to be trained in BSS, a procedure preformed to open blocked sinus passages in order to allow the sinuses to drain freely.
Prior to 2005, this was accomplished with traditional sinus surgery known as Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery or FESS in which sinus tissue and bone was removed to make the passages larger. In 2005, balloons were introduced as a way of dilating sinus passages to enlarge the drainage pathways.
A large number of individuals suffer from sinus problems. However, few ever really find the best treatment, Atkins says.
“When a patient first comes in, we search to see where the main problem is by looking at four areas: checking inside the nose, whether or not they have chronic sinusitis, allergies, and immune status,” he says. “Once the proper steps have been taken we can evaluate and figure out where to stop the problem.”
There are a number of symptoms that lets Atkins know who is a candidate for FinESS, including nasal congestion, nasal discharge, fatigue, facial pressure and headaches.
“A patient came in with these complaints, and after the surgery she let us know that her headaches are 80 percent better,” he says.
His passion for treating patients plagued with sinus problems led to the development of FinESS.
“For the first 10 years of my career we were going in circles giving prescriptions and then I realized I needed a change and wanted to offer exactly what the patient needs,” he says. “I encourage younger candidates to definitely search out this procedure because you will have 40 plus years of benefits. Find out your problem, get it fixed, and enjoy life.”
A native of Galveston, Atkins graduated from the University of Texas in Austin. He obtained his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and is board certified in otolaryngology. He has been in private practice in South Texas for the past 18 years.
The Texas Sinus Center in Boerne and San Antonio is where Atkins sees most of his 500 patients, and he performs about seven to eight FinESS procedures each month.
“We have invested in state-of-the-art equipment, so we can reach a diagnosis in our office quickly and efficiently,” he says.
When he’s not treating patients, Atkins enjoys hunting and spending time with his three children.
