Dr. Stephen M. Bane, an ENT Specialist at Capitol Breathe Free, said on Instagram that he underwent balloon sinuplasty without sedation to better understand the patient experience.
“I had no hesitation with the balloon because I’ve been doing them for close to 20 years now,” said Bane, according to Instagram. “I wasn’t worried about it and actually I did it without sedation. I wanted to know exactly how it felt. I wanted to know what the patients went through.”
Clinicians who personally undergo medical procedures often develop a stronger empathy and a deeper understanding of patient care. According to a qualitative study published in Medical Education, physicians who became patients reported enhanced sensitivity to pain, communication barriers, and clinical vulnerability, which subsequently influenced their practice. These firsthand experiences helped doctors reflect on procedural care and patient well-being.
A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that endoscopists and cardiologists with personal experience in procedures such as colonoscopies or angioplasties reported reduced procedural anxiety and increased technical proficiency. The paper highlighted that familiarity through personal experience allowed practitioners to refine their communication with patients about discomfort, risks, and recovery.
In interventional pulmonology, balloon dilation procedures like bronchoplasty are considered routine among experienced specialists. A retrospective review published in Respiration reported complication rates below 2%, with over 90% of interventions successful on the first attempt. Operators with more than 10 years of experience had significantly lower complication rates, reinforcing that seasoned practitioners may feel justified in their low-risk perception.
Dr. Stephen M. Bane is a board-certified Otolaryngologist and sleep medicine specialist who has served in both military and civilian medical leadership roles. After completing his surgical training at NYU and Bellevue Hospitals, he served as a flight surgeon and ENT specialist in the U.S. Navy before entering private practice in Florida and later Virginia. Since 1997, Bane has been a leading physician at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center, where he has chaired multiple departments and was named one of Northern Virginia Magazine’s Top Doctors in 2020, according to his bio at Capitol Breathe Free.
