Bony and submuccsal tissue reduction of inferior turbinate: subjective and objective evaluation

ABSTRACT

Chronic nasal obstruction is one of the most common symptom in the practice of Otolaryngology. Our study was to evaluate the value of the reduction of both the bone and the submucosal soft tissue of the inferior turbinates by using microdebrider and microdrill burrs in 70 patients with bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy. They were 36 males and 34 females. The age ranged between 17-65 years. All cases were performed at ORL department, Mansoura University Hospital in the period between 2002-2003. Subjective and objective evaluations were done preoperativeI3rnonths postoperatively. Subjective evaluation was done by questionnaires regarding nasal symptoms with score calculation. Objective evaluations were done by clinical examination, endoscopic evaluation, and CT scanning. Turbinates were graded into I, II, III. Turbinates in grade 1ff were included in the study. The preoperative mean of total symptom score was [7.99 +/- 7.9 7] and postoperative was [1.79 +/- 1.81]. Preoperatively most of turbinates were in grade III but after surgery most of them were in grade I. AU turbinates were decreased in size after the procedure Bleeding occurred in 3 cases and required tight packing. Mucosal tears without mucosal loss occurred in 20 cases. We did not observe crustation, synechiae, foul odor or nasolacrimal injury. So by this technique patients showed both subjective and objective improvement