title: Long-term efficacy of our surgical approach to turbinate hypertrophy.
abstract: In our department, chronically enlarged inferior turbinates (not responding to adequate medical therapy) are treated with the CO2-laser or by partial inferior turbinoplasty. In this work, the latter technique is described and the short- and long-term results (up to 9 years of follow-up) are evaluated. Relief of nasal obstruction was reported by 93.5% of the patients. There was a good correlation between this success rate and the objective measurements of the nasal resistance by active anterior rhinomanometry. Rhinorrhea or postnasal drip was still present in 32.5%. Atrophic changes of the nasal mucosa were not observed in any of the patients. Early postoperative epistaxis was found in 6.5% of the patients. Late postoperative epistaxis did not occur.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, AZ Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schmelzer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vidts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011182:Postoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*