Analysis of Structural Changes of the Inferior Turbinate in Patients with Deviated Nasal Septum by Using Computed Tomography / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Compensatory hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate is frequently observed in case of nasal septal deviation. In case of surgical treatment, some advocate that septoplasty must be accompanied by reduction of inferior turbinate. So, the authors analyzed the structural change of the inferior turbinate in nasal septal deviation using the CT scan. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The CT films of 154 patients who had undergone septoplasty were reviewed retrospectively. All subjects had only Cshaped septal deviation and had no abnormality. Inferior turbinate was divided equally into three portions as anterior, middle and posterior portions. The thickness of mucosa and bone of the inferior turbinate and the degree of inferior conchal bone medialization were measured. RESULTS: In the anterior and middle portion, the degree of medialization at concave side of inferior conchal bone was significantly increased compared to the convex side. In addition, the thickness of bone and mucosa at the concave side was significantly thicker than those of the convex side (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the posterior portion. CONCLUSION: In the nasal septal deviation, the degree of medialization of inferior conchal bone and the thickness of bone and mucosa at the concave side were significantly greater than those of the convex side in the anterior and middle portion.