title: Effect of Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation Treatment on Nasal Ciliary Motility: A Study with Phase-Contrast Microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of nasal ciliary motility after radiofrequency ablation treatment in patients with isolated inferior turbinate hypertrophy and to clarify how long until normal ciliary function is restored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, single-group, pretest-posttest design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary care medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved 34 adult patients affected by nasal obstruction due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy who underwent radiofrequency ablation treatment between June and December 2014. Diagnosis was assessed according to clinical history, nasal endoscopy, and active anterior rhinomanometry. Cytologic samples were collected by nasal scraping before surgery and 1, 2, and 3 months after surgery. Ciliary motility was evaluated by nasal cytology with phase-contrast microscopy. Functional aspects of nasal mucosa were studied, with a focus on 3 parameters: (1) nasal mucociliary clearance, assessed by saccharin nasal transit time test; (2) percentage of ciliated cell motility, measured as the ratio between cells with motility and cells without motility; and (3) efficacy of ciliary motility, measured as the ratio between cells with valid motility and cells with hypovalid motility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ciliary motility and ciliary efficacy showed a significant reduction after 1 and 2 months from surgery, returning to normal values within 3 months. No significant changes in saccharin nasal transit time were recorded during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcomes of this study suggest that radiofrequency ablation treatment causes ciliary motility changes of nasal mucosa that are completely restored after at least 3 months after surgery. These cytologic abnormalities do not affect nasal functionality.
authors: Department of Medico-surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy chiara-rosato@libero.it.
authors: Chiara
authors: C
authors: Rosato
authors: Department of Medico-surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Pagliuca
authors: Department of Medico-surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Martellucci
authors: Department of Sensorial Organs, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: de Vincentiis
authors: Department of Sensorial Organs, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Greco
authors: Department of Sensorial Organs, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Fusconi
authors: Department of Sensorial Organs, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Armando
authors: A
authors: De Virgilio
authors: Department of Medico-surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Camilla
authors: C
authors: Gallipoli
authors: Speech and Swallowing Rehabilitation Service, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
authors: Marilia
authors: M
authors: Simonelli
authors: Department of Medico-surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, ENT Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Gallo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000293:injuries; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D025363:Rhinomanometry; D014420:Turbinates / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: inferior turbinate hypertrophy; nasal ciliary motility; phase-contrast microscopy; radiofrequency thermal ablation; radiofrequency turbinate tissue reduction