Submucosal Bipolar Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation of Inferior Turbinates: A Long-Term Follow-up With Subjective and Objective Assessment

• Published in: The Laryngoscope Vol. 112; no. 10; pp. 1806 - 1812
• Main Authors: Bäck, Leif J.J., Hytönen, Maija L., Malmberg, Henrik O., Ylikoski, Jukka S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-10-2002; Wiley-Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation; Catheter Ablation - adverse effects; Chronic Disease; Female; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Humans; Hypertrophy; inferior turbinates; long-term follow-up; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nasal Obstruction - etiology; Nasal Obstruction - physiopathology; Nasal Obstruction - surgery; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative Complications; Rhinitis - complications; Rhinomanometry; Rhinometry, Acoustic; Sensory Thresholds; Smell; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract; Turbinates - pathology; Turbinates - surgery; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Human; Nose disease; Prognosis; Inferior segment; Objective analysis; Radiofrequency; Ablation; Long term; Obstruction; Turbinate bone; Subjective evaluation; Result; Prospective; Bipolar; Treatment; Surgery; Nose; ENT disease; Submucosa; Hypertrophy
• ISSN: 0023-852X; 1531-4995
• DOI: 10.1097/00005537-200210000-00019

Objective To assess the efficacy and morbidity of bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation of the inferior turbinates in patients with nasal obstruction caused by turbinate hypertrophy.
Study Design Prospective, nonrandomized study and outpatient treatment.
Methods Twenty patients (age range, 23–77 y; median age, 52 y) enrolled in the study. There was one dropout. All the patients had nasal blockage despite medical treatment. Bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation was delivered to inferior turbinates at 100 kHz with a voltage root mean square value of 168 to 182. The preoperative and postoperative nasal functions were investigated by immediate and long‐term visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of symptom parameters, olfactory thresholds, saccharine transit time, rhinomanometry, and acoustic rhinometry. The follow‐up was conducted at 1 week and 3, 6, and 12 months.
Results The VAS scores of subjective complaints (nasal discharge, itching, sneezing, crusting) decreased, and the VAS scores of evaluation of the effectiveness (frequency of nasal obstruction, degree of nasal obstruction, and patient satisfaction) increased statistically significantly in the 12‐month follow‐up without relapses. There were no adverse effects on nasal epithelial clearance time and olfactory functions. In rhinomanometry the changes in total nasal resistance and response to the vasoconstrictor agent were not statistically significant. In acoustic rhinometry the change in the sum of both nasal cavity volumes from nostril to 5 cm was statistically significant 6 and 12 months after the treatments. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative vasoconstrictive effect was not statistically significant.
Conclusion The bipolar radiofrequency thermal ablation of inferior turbinates is a promising alternative, which should be considered when planning inferior turbinate interventions.