title: Comparison of carbon dioxide and neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers in surgery of the inferior turbinate.
abstract: At the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of the University of Kiel, 533 patients with hyperplastic inferior turbinates were treated between 1987 and 1994 with various carbon dioxide (CO2) and neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser techniques. We report on the therapeutic results of both types of laser turbinectomy and compare their long-term results with those of submucosal diathermy. Among the different techniques, we preferred the following approaches. The CO2 laser technique involved the application of a few laser spots (laser energy density 6,100 J/cm2 per lesion) to the head of the turbinate under the operating microscope. In the Nd:YAG laser procedure, diffuse, low-power irradiation (laser energy density < 53 kJ/cm2) of the entire concha was performed under endoscopic control. The CO2 laser procedure involved little bleeding and hardly any pain. It produced a positive effect after only a few days and required no follow-up treatment. The success of Nd:YAG laser treatment, by contrast, only became evident after weeks or months, due to the slow scarring process. Compared to submucosal diathermy, both laser methods produced better long-term results. Two years postoperatively, the overall success rate, as defined by patient satisfaction, was 79.6% for the CO2 laser, 68.3% for the Nd:YAG laser, and 36% for submucosal diathermy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000535:Aluminum; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003972:Diathermy; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009354:Neodymium; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015019:Yttrium
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009354:Neodymium; D015019:Yttrium; D000535:Aluminum