Ho:YAG laser treatment of hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates.
OBJECTIVE
Although preliminary studies about the successful use of the Ho:YAG laser in nasal turbinate surgery have been reported, no clinical study has been performed on this procedure. The aim of this prospective clinical study was to assess the long-term effect of Ho:YAG laser in the treatment of hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates.


METHODS
Eighty-five patients with nasal obstruction who did not respond to conservative medical treatment were treated with a pulsed Ho:YAG laser (wavelength of =2080 nm). Fifty-two of these patients were included in this clinical study and were followed for 1 year.


RESULTS
Within the first 2 weeks, nasal obstruction was correlated to the extent of nasal crusting. Six months after laser treatment, the mucociliary function test showed no variation compared with the preoperative measurements. One year after laser treatment 77% of the patients demonstrated improved nasal airflow on rhinomanometry and questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
Ho:YAG-laser treatment of hyperplastic turbinates can be performed as outpatient surgery under local anesthesia and offers controllable ablation of soft tissue in a short operation time with satisfactory results and excellent patient acceptance.
Leunig
A
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, Germany. Andreas.Leunig@hno.med.uni-muenchen.de
Janda
P
P
Sroka
R
R
Baumgartner
R
R
Grevers
G
G
D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006695:Holmium; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D053685:Laser Therapy; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000601:surgery*; D012223:Rhinitis, Vasomotor / Q000601:surgery*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015019:Yttrium
D015019:Yttrium; D006695:Holmium