title: Laser treatment of rhinitis--1 year follow-up.
abstract: Laser cautery of the inferior turbinates for the treatment of rhinitis has been shown to be as effective as sub-mucosal diathermy in the short-term and to produce less morbidity. However, the long-term effects are unknown. A cohort of patients who were treated by either of these methods were reviewed 1 year after treatment. Subjective and objective measurements of airway obstruction were performed using a linear analogue scale and a nasal peak inspiratory flowmeter. The results obtained were compared with those recorded pre-operatively, 3 days post-operatively and 6 days post-operatively. In contrast to the results of sub-mucous diathermy of the inferior turbinates for the treatment of rhinitis, the reduction in subjective nasal airway obstruction obtained by laser cautery to the inferior turbinates is maintained 1 year after surgery. Neither method of turbinate reduction was associated with a sustained objective improvement in nasal airway patency as measured by peak nasal inspiratory flow rate determinations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: McCombe
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003972:Diathermy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*