Efficacy of topical nasal steroids and total inferior turbinectomy in hypertrophic rhinitis

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy of topical nasal steroids therapy with total inferior turbinectomy in relieving nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Randomized Controlled Trials [RCT]. The study was conducted in the ENT department, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi from October 2006 to July 2007. Sixty patients suffering from allergic rhinitis were divided in Two groups of thirty partients. Group A underwent total inferior turbinectomy where as Group B advised Betamethasone nasal drops for two months. Relief in terms of nasal obstruction was assessed on Visual analogue scale two months after commencement of treatment. Chi-square test was applied as test of statistical significance to compare the two groups. Total inferior turbinectomy was found to be clinically superior to topical betamethasone drops in relieving nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy [p<0.001]. Total inferior turbinectomy is a better method of relieving obstruction as compared to topical betamethasone drops in nasal obstruction due to hypertrophied inferior turbinates