Treatment of Hypertrophy of the Inferior Turbinate: Long-Term Results in 382 Patients Randomly Assigned to Therapy

Abstract

A number of surgical techniques are commonly performed to control the symptoms of inferior turbinate hypertrophy unresponsive to medical treatment. We report long-term results in 382 patients randomly assigned to receive electrocautery (62), cryotherapy (58), laser cautery (54), submucosal resection without lateral displacement (69), submucosal resection with lateral displacement (94), and turbinectomy (45). Outcomes of objective test results from rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, mucociliary transport time, and secretory immunoglobulin A levels were compared to the symptom scores before and yearly after surgical treatment. These data indicate that submucosal resection with lateral displacement of the inferior turbinate results in the greatest increases in airflow and nasal respiratory function with the lowest risk of long-term complications.

Surgical Ultrasound Reduction of Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy

“…Gender distribution was 22 males (51.1%) (Mean age 19.9 years) & 21females (48.8%) (Mean age 15.8 years) [6][7][8][9][10]. During the surgery there was mild pain (pressure like sensation) in 20 patients (46.5 %) &significant bleeding in 4 patients (9.3%).…”

Outcome Assessment of 603 Cases of Concomitant Inferior Turbinectomy and Le Fort I Osteotomy

“…Harvold et al (29), in their primate studies, induced obstruction of the nasal airway and generated morphological changes in dental and craniofacial parameters. McNamara (30) proposed a physiological mechanism that volume (45)(46)(47). Excessive reduction of turbinate tissue could cause the rare empty nose syndrome (ENS).…”

Radiofrequency Reduction of Inferior Turbinates in Allergic and Non Allergic Rhinitis

“…A wider nasal cavity does not necessarily mean that the nose function will be better [17,21]. Thus, catastrophic techniques with no respect to nasal functionality, like total turbinectomy, are condemned by many authors [17,22]. Many treatment methods have been reported with various results [17,[23][24][25][26].…”

“…Various techniques are currently performed to reduce the volume of the mucosal (and sometimes bony) tissues of the inferior turbinates [3]. Although most of these techniques provide satisfactory results for a more or less long period, adverse events are frequently observed after such treatments: postoperative bleeding, crusting, foul odour, pain, hyposmia and synechiae [3,4]. No technique is perfect, and each is associated with known short and long term complications.…”