Comparative study of the effects of submucosal cauterization of the inferior turbinate with or without outfracture.

AIM The objective of this study was to compare the effects of submucosal cauterization of the inferior turbinate with or without outfracture. STUDY DESIGN Clinical prospective. METHOD Twenty patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were randomized and divided into two groups. The first one was submitted to submucosal cauterization associated with outfracture, and the second one without fracture. Five items were assessed to compare both methods: pain, nasal bleeding, scarring--analyzed through anterior rhinoscopy, observing edema, hyperemia and seropurulent secretion; crust formation (seen through anterior rhinoscopy); and nasal airway patency. Follow-up was performed on days 7, 14, 30. RESULTS In both groups crusting formation was similar. Scarring showed better results in the outfracture group in the first two weeks postoperative. The analysis of nasal airway patency showed good results in 80% of the patients submitted to submucosal cauterization with outfratcture on day 30 postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that submucosal cauterization of inferior turbinate with outfracture is better than the procedure without outfracture.