Prognostic value of anterior rhinomanometry in diode laser turbinoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To identify objective criteria predicting the success of diode laser-assisted turbinoplasty.


METHODS
Prospective before-and-after trial with follow-up of 8 weeks.


METHODS
Outpatient department of a tertiary referral center.


METHODS
Forty-one patients with nasal obstruction caused by hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates.


METHODS
Active anterior rhinomanometry with and without decongestion was used to assess the patients both before and after diode laser-assisted turbinate surgery. Surgery was performed under local anesthesia in "contact mode" using a continuous diode laser. In addition, a questionnaire assessed the subjective postoperative benefit.


METHODS
Presurgical effect of topical decongestion was correlated with postoperative improvement of nasal airflow and patients' subjective satisfaction.


RESULTS
Turbinoplasty significantly improved the mean (SD) nasal airflow by 37.1% (52.4%) (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.6%-53.7%), from 509.8 (189.2) cm³/s (95% CI, 450.1-569.5) to 660.9 (285.4) cm³/s (95% CI, 570.8-751.0) (P < .001). There was no significant correlation between patients' subjective satisfaction and improvement of nasal airflow postoperatively (r(s) = -0.01; P = .93). There was a strong correlation between the presurgical effect of topical decongestion and the improvement of nasal airflow by surgery (r(s) = 0.42; P = .01). The correlation was even stronger when the absolute values were adjusted by the preoperative nasal airflow baseline (r(s) = 0.55; P = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Rhinomanometry with topical decongestion has a high predictive value for the objective outcome of diode laser-assisted turbinoplasty. Thus, performing a rhinomanometry with topical decongestion and calculating the relative spread of decongestion can help to estimate the patients' benefit from diode laser-assisted turbinate surgery.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Lessingstraße 2, D-07743 Jena, Germany. fabian.volk@med.uni-jena.de
Gerd Fabian
GF
Volk
Mira
M
Pantel
Orlando
O
Guntinas-Lichius
Claus
C
Wittekindt
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014663:Nasal Decongestants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
D007093:Imidazoles; D014663:Nasal Decongestants; C009695:xylometazoline