Nikhila Rajendran1, Jaya C.2, Venugopal M.3, Satheesh S.4
BACKGROUND
Nasal obstruction secondary to inferior turbinate hypertrophy significantly affects
the quality of life. Patients refractory to medical treatment are taken up for
surgery. Laser turbinate reduction is an effective and simple method for treatment
of nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Only a few studies
reported on the outcome of laser inferior turbinate reduction in India. The present
study was done to assess the clinical outcome of laser inferior turbinate reduction
in patients with nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
METHODS
This prospective observational study was done in 31 patients (18 – 60 years) with
nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical
management who underwent laser inferior turbinate reduction in ENT Department,
Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram from December 2017 to
September 2019.
RESULTS
All patients had bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy. 21 out of 31 patients had
allergic rhinitis and rest had non-allergic rhinitis. Pre-operatively most patients had
symptom score between 15 and 20. After CO2 laser inferior turbinate reduction at
the end of 3 months of follow up, subjective assessment by symptom scoring
confirmed by objective assessment by flowmetry 29 out of 31 patients had good
outcome with relief from nasal obstruction. The success rate was more in nonallergic
rhinitis (100 %) than the allergic rhinitis group (90.47 %).
CONCLUSIONS
CO2 laser inferior turbinate reduction is an effective procedure to relieve nasal
obstruction in patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical
treatment, with minimal complications. Post-procedure on follow up significant
number of patients had relief from hyposmia, sneezing and running nose.
