Comparative Study of Response Through Reduction in the Size of Hypertrophied Inferior Turbinate Causing Nasal Obstruction by Different Surgical Modalities: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the major causes of nasal airway obstruction. Medical treatment often produces insufficient improvement. In these cases, surgical reduction of inferior turbinate can be proposed. Many different techniques are currently available. The aim of our study is to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of three techniques i.e., electrocautery, cryotherapy and radiofrequency by comparing the response of patients to these three surgical modalities of turbinate reduction. A total of 90 patients presenting with nasal obstruction with or without allergic symptoms, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, attending ENT OPD are included in the study. A prospective study was conducted on three groups of thirty patients with symptoms and signs of nasal obstruction associated with inferior turbinate hypertrophy of more than 3 months duration. Then the percentage of subjective improvement in nasal airway is used to assess treatment outcomes 1week, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after surgery. At the end of 12 months, 56.6 % of patients treated with electrocautery and 56.6 % of patients treated with cryotherapy showed 75 % improvement in nasal obstruction whereas 59.99 % of patients treated with radiofrequency showed 100 % improvement. No statistical difference in the amount of improvement in nasal obstruction was noted between the three treatment groups at the end of 12 months because of relatively small sample size. But clinically radiofrequency showed better subjective improvement in nasal obstruction when compared to cryotherapy and electrocautery.

Short term subjective outcomes of lateral fracture as a complementary treatment of coblation turbinoplasty in traumatized nose

“…No for patients [11]. Intraturbinal reduction (intraturbinal turbinoplasty) would seem to be the best method to obtain a valid volumetric reduction avoidance of mucosal damages [12]. Coblation ('controlled ablation') was a quite recently introduced method of high frequency bipolar diathermy.…”

Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy: A Review of the Evolution of Management in Children

“… a (1) Retrospective case series, (2) retrospective comparative case series, (3) prospective case series, and (4) prospective cohort study.…”

“…These include symptoms refractory to 3 months of medical treatment, insufficient treatment of OSA with conservative options, persistent rhinitis medicamentosa, and measured turbinate hypertrophy in patients who are simultaneously scheduled for septoplasty, rhinoplasty, or endoscopic sinus surgery. 3,4…”

Microdebrider-Assisted Turbinoplasty and Submucosal Diathermy for Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…The most thriving treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy needs a reduction in the size of turbinate with mucociliary function preservation. 15 These different surgical modalities have variable results. Warwick Brown and Marks have reported in a study of submucosal diathermy of inferior turbinate hypertrophy that results have declined from 82% to 41% in a month follow up.…”