Utility of Submucosal Turbinoplasty for the Treatment of Chronic Nasal Obstruction

Introduction: Surgery of inferior turbinates is a divisive subject. Surgical management includes functional and invasive procedures. There is currently no consensus on the most effective technique. Radiofrequency ablation is one of numerous interventions available for the treatment of nasal opstruction secondary to inferior turbinate hypertrophy. The goals of inferior turbinate surgery include volume reduction, reduction in nasal obstruction, and maintenance of nasal function while minimizing complications. Two hundred patients, who had nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy and obstinate to medical therapy, underwent submucosal turbinoplasty procedure in the ENT office “dr Vukoje“ in Petrovaradin, Republic of Serbia, from January 2012 to December 2015. The diagnosis was based by anamnesis, clinical examination, nasal endoscopy, ephedrine test, palpation mucosis test and imaging. We used radiofrequency device Ellman Sugitron dual 4.0 Mhz, (inventor Dr Jon C. Garito, PhD) unit with power of 70 watts of radio wave emission in monopolar mode for 10-15 seconds. Postoperative follow-up was scheduled at 1, 3 and 6 months. Among 200 patients 158 patients (79%) were completely relieved of symptoms, 9 patients (4.5%) partialy relieved and 33 patients (16.5%) showed no improvement based on both subjective and objective parameters. Conclusion: Due to its simplicity, minimally invasive nature and efficiency, the radiofrequency tissue ablation procedure is one amongst the best apt surgical option for management of inferior turbinate hypertrophy and the current study added credit to its efficiency once again.