The effect of inferior turbinate surgery on nasal symptoms and inferior turbinate contractility

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare radiofrequency ablation (RFA), diode laser, and microdebriderassisted inferior turbinoplasty (MAIT) in the treatment of chronic nasal obstruction in a one-year follow-up, and to pay special attention to the effect of the procedures on the contractility capacity of the inferior turbinates. Methods: The patients filled a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) questionnaire regarding nasal symptoms preand postoperatively. Saccharin transit time (STT) evaluation and acoustic rhinometry were also performed. A total of 77 patients attended the one-year control visit and had technically reliable acoustic rhinometry results. Results: All the examined techniques decreased the VAS score for the severity of nasal obstruction statistically significantly. There was no deterioration found in the symptoms of crusting, nasal discharge, and sneezing, nor in mucociliary function in any of the groups. All the three techniques increased the non-decongested total V2-5 cm values and decreased the decongested total V2-5 cm values statistically significantly. The V2-5 cm change (%) values decreased statistically significantly in the RFA, diode laser, and the MAIT groups following the operations, the mean changes being-57 percentage points (pp),-53 pp, and-73 pp respectively. Conclusion: All three techniques decreased the severity of nasal obstruction significantly in the one-year followup. Although submucosal fibrosis seemed to increase, all the techniques increased the anterior nasal cavity volume significantly. Inferior turbinate contractility decreased to the normal level from the preoperative congested state following the surgery with every examined technique.