title: Transoral submucosal resection of the inferior turbinate: a novel approach to functional rhinoplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the presence of turbinate dysfunction, an inferior turbinectomy for persistent hypertrophy of bone and/or mucosa may be performed. We sought to explore anatomic feasibility of a transoral turbinectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  After transoral inferior turbinectomy in 12 cadavers, average distances from the external nasal valve to inferior turbinate and from pyriform aperture to inferior turbinate were compared. Average "area of access" was calculated. Preoperative and postoperative nasal length, tip projection, and alar-base width were also compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average distance from external nasal valve to inferior turbinate was 32.4 mm. Average distance from aperture to inferior turbinate was 2.4 mm (P < 0.0001). Average "areas of access" to nasal vault through the external nasal valve and mouth were 183.9 mm(2) and 243.6 mm(2) (P = 0.07), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The transoral approach provides a larger "area of access" to the turbinate, a statistically significant reduction of distance to target, no postoperative changes in nasal soft tissue, and easier instrumentation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. dsingh@smail.umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Devinder P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Antonio J V
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Apostolides
authors.forename: Hamid R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Zahiri
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stromberg
authors.forename: Nivaldo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Persing
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000601:surgery*; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D009929:Organ Size; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D014420:Turbinates / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*