Thermal reduction of hypertrophied inferior turbinate

ABSTRACT

Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the commonest causes of nasal obstruction. It can be mucosal or bony hypertrophy. It is seen in patients suffering from vasomotor and allergic rhinitis. To evaluate the effectiveness and complications of diode laser reduction of hypertrophied inferior turbinate in comparison with reduction by submucosal diathermy using electrocoagulation. Forty patients who complained from inferior turbinate hypertrophy were included in our study. Reduction of the hypertrophied turbinate by diode laser and submucosal diathermy was done. The patients were followed up for twelve months. The results from both procedures was analyzed and compared. Sixty percent of our patients were males and forty percent were females. One month after the operation, relief of nasal obstruction was [85%] in laser reduction and [75%] in submucosal diathermy. Six months after the operation the results were [90%] for laser reduction and [85%] for submucosal diathermy, while at the end of the twelve months the results were [85%] for laser reduction and [75%] for submucosal diathermy. One month after the operation no edema or crust could be seen in laser reduction. While in submucosal diathermy oedema were seen one month after the operation and crustation continued till the third month. Laser reduction of inferior turbinate hypertrophy as a long term results is not significantly superior to submucosal diathermy in terms of relief of airway obstruction but it is associated with less complications