title: The effect of radiofrequency thermal ablation method on nasal mucociliary activity in patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the effect of radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) treatment on nasal mucociliary activity before and after treatment in inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients (21 males, 18 females; mean age 36.3±13.9 years; range 16 to 67 years) admitted to our clinic with complaint of nasal obstruction and diagnosed with stromal inferior turbinate hypertrophy were included in this study. Effect of RFTA treatment on nasal mucociliary activity was investigated by saccharine test before treatment and two months after treatment. Grade of nasal obstruction was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) before treatment and two months after treatment. Results were compared with paired t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean mucociliary activity times were 9.8±4.4 minutes before treatment and 9.6±4.1 minutes two months after treatment, and the difference between two tests was not statistically significant (p=0.3). Mean VAS scores for nasal obstruction were 6.5±1.2 before treatment and 3.8±1.0 two months after treatment, and the difference between two results was statistically significant (p=0.001). Difference between sexes in terms of saccharine transit time and VAS values before and after treatment was not statistically significant (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was detected that RFTA has no adverse effect on mucociliary activity in the treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy, and this method is notably effective in relieving the nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Acıpayam State Hospital, Denizli, Turkey. fkenar@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ali Osman
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Uz
authors.forename: Fethullah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kenar
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yıldız
authors.forename: Abidin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Mustafa Said
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayçiçek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D012439:Saccharin; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012439:Saccharin