Comparison of the effects of radiofrequency ablation and microdebrider reduction on nasal physiology in lower turbinate surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the effects of radiofrequency ablation and microdebrider reduction in lower turbinate surgery on nasal physiology.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2009 and March 2010, 40 patients with the complaint of nasal obstruction, who were diagnosed with lower turbinate hypertrophy, were randomly assigned into two groups to undergo either radiofrequency (group 1, n=20) or microdebrider (group 2, n=20) treatments. Nasal obstruction, the grade of turbinate hypertrophy and other symptoms were evaluated with subjective nasal obstruction scale and anterior rhinoscopy before the operation, and three days, seven days, four weeks, and eight weeks after the surgical intervention.

RESULTS: The patients in group 2 had a significantly greater symptomatic improvement based on subjective nasal obstruction scale (SNOS) scores than the patients in group 1 (p<0.01). Acoustic rhinometry (ARM) measurements without decongestant application showed significant increase in postoperative MCA2 (Minimum Cross-sectional Area/cm2 2) and Vol 2 (Volume/cm3 2) (p<0.01), while there was no significant change in MCA1 (Minimum Cross-sectional Area/cm2 1) and Vol 1 (Volume/cm3 1). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect to ARM and anterior rhinoscopy (AnR) parameters (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Based on these results, both radiofrequency ablation and microdebrider reduction may be considered as minimally invasive, straightforward, and reliable methods that provide sufficient airway passage without disruption of the nasal physiology.