title: Endoscopic approach to middle turbinate squeeze syndrome.
abstract: Middle turbinate squeeze syndrome (MTSS) refers to sino-nasal headache due to intense contact between the middle turbinate and the nasal septum and/or between middle turbinate and other structures in the lateral nasal wall. This study was intended to evaluate the efficacy of precise endoscopic surgical treatment of MTSS. This is a prospective study of 126 patients with refractory cephalgia due to endoscopically confirmed MTSS who underwent functional endoscopic naso-sinus surgery (FENS) wherein the contact points and ostio-meatal complex obstruction were endoscopically relieved. 91% of cases reported improvement/resolution of headache and 95% of cases had relieved contact points as documented endoscopically. This surgery was also found to facilitate resolution of sinus disease, both radiologically (in 64% of cases) and endoscopically (in 94% of cases). Cephalgia caused by MTSS can be effectively treated by an ultra-conservative endoscopic approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Kasturba Medical College & Hospital, Manipal University, Manipal, 576104 Karnataka India.
authors.forename: Dipak Ranjan
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Balakrishnan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
keywords: Cephalgia; Contact neuralgia; Endoscopic sinus surgery; Middle turbinate syndrome; Naso-sinus headache; Supra-bullar approach; Uncinate process