title: The efficacy of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of hypertrophied inferior turbinate in allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (RFVTR) technique in treatment of allergic inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) and to study its effect on nasal mucociliary clearance.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study was conducted over 50 perenial allergic rhinitis patients with persistent nasal obstruction due to bilateral ITH refractory to medical management received one time RFVTR of both inferior turbinates. Symptoms were subjectively assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and mucociliary clearance was measured by saccharin transit time (STT) pre-operatively, at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months post-operatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-seven subjects completed study. All patients had significant symptomatic improvement which started from 1 week post-operatively and persisted up to 3 months. Post-operative VAS scores of nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, headache, and snoring at 1 week 1, 3 and 6 month follow up visits significantly decreased (P < 0.05) whereas significant decreased in post-operative VAS scores of hyposmia was observed at 1 month follow up (P < 0.05). Though increase in VAS scores was observed during 6 month follow up, the difference between pre-operative and 6 month post-operative mean VAS score was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Symptomatic improvement in nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, headache, hyposmia, and snoring persisted in 89.4%, 95.6%, 97.8%, 88.5%, 46.7%, and 100% of patients, respectively, during 6 month follow up. There was no significant change in STT following RFVTR except at 1 week follow up (P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFVTR is safe and effective in treatment of ITH in allergic rhinitis patients.
authors: Department of E.N.T, Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. drpradipta04@gmail.com
authors: Pradipta Kumar
authors: PK
authors: Parida
authors: Krishnapriya
authors: K
authors: Santhosh
authors: Sivaraman
authors: S
authors: Ganesan
authors: Gopalakrishnan
authors: G
authors: Surianarayanan
authors: Sunil Kumar
authors: SK
authors: Saxena
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult