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Long‐Term Results of Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy with Radiofrequency Treatment: A New Standard of Care?
Author(s) -
Porter Matthew W.,
Hales Nathan W.,
Nease Carey J.,
Krempl Greg A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/01.mlg.0000201986.82035.6f
Subject(s) - medicine , muscle hypertrophy , prospective cohort study , visual analogue scale , surgery , randomized controlled trial , placebo , alternative medicine , pathology
Objective: The objective of this study was to report the long‐term efficacy of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction (RFVTR) and to compare this with other accepted surgical treatments of inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Study Design and Setting: Prospective, 2‐year follow‐up of 19 patients originally enrolled in a prospective, randomized, single blinded, placebo controlled trial for treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy with RFVTR. Patients evaluated their severity of obstruction, frequency of obstruction, and overall ability to breathe by way of a 10 cm visual analogue scale. Results: RFVTR for inferior turbinate hypertrophy showed continued benefit at 2 years posttreatment, with no indication of increasing symptomatology. The benefit demonstrated in frequency of obstruction, severity of obstruction, and overall ability to breathe ( P < .05) was maintained at 2 years. No complications occurred. Review of the literature shows lower short‐ and long‐term complications for RFVTR compared with other surgical methods Conclusion: RFVTR is effective in treating inferior turbinate hypertrophy with sustained benefit at 2 years follow‐up while resulting in fewer complications than other surgical methods. Significance: RFVTR is a relatively new procedure, and therefore there are few long‐term evaluations of its effectiveness; this is the first prospective study to document successful outcomes at 2 years follow‐up.