Radiofrequency versus electrocautery for inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to compare radiofrequency tissue reduction (RFTR) and electrocautery (EC) techniques by assessing preoperatively and 8 weeks postoperatively the visual analog scale (VAS), inspiratory peak flowmetry (IPF), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volume measurement of the inferior turbinate and to see whether EC still stands as a valid treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy.


METHODS
A total of 36 patients were included in the study. An equal number of patients were chosen randomly from 2 groups. Inferior turbinate volumes measured by MRI, IPF, the VAS, and the Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 were used to determine the efficacy of treatment and to compare the 2 groups.


RESULTS
Postoperative IPF increase, VAS score decrease, and Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 score decrease were statistically more significant in the EC group, compared with the RFTR group. Although statistically not significant, postoperative inferior turbinate MRI volume decrease was more evident in the EC group when compared with the RFTR group.


CONCLUSIONS
Both RFTR and EC techniques could be used as an effective treatment of choice for inferior turbinate hypertrophy, and EC technique is superior to RFTR technique to achieve high efficiency.
From the *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Malazgirt State Hospital, Mus, Turkey; and †Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Ahmet Erdem
AE
Kilavuz
Murat
M
Songu
Yilmaz
Y
Ozkul
Sedat
S
Ozturkcan
Huseyin
H
Katilmis
D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000601:surgery; D007320:Inspiratory Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*