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Efficacy of inferior turbinate coblation for treatment of nasal obstruction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2008

S E J Farmer ,
S M Quine  and
R Eccles
S E J Farmer*
Affiliation:
Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
S M Quine
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK
R Eccles
Affiliation:
Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Miss Sarah Farmer, ENT Specialist Registrar, Common Cold Centre, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3US, Wales, UK. Fax: 029 20 874093 E-mail: farmers@cardiff.ac.uk
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Abstract

Objective:

To determine the efficacy of inferior turbinate coblation for the treatment of nasal obstruction.

Methods:

Twenty patients awaiting submucosal diathermy to the inferior turbinates were recruited into the study. All underwent inferior turbinate coblation. Pre-operative and post-operative nasal function was investigated using posterior rhinomanometry and subjective symptom scales.

Results:

There was no significant increase in nasal conductance two weeks after inferior turbinate coblation (p = 0.159). However, three months after inferior turbinate coblation, median nasal conductance had increased significantly, from 203 to 324 cm3/s (p = 0.004). The median increase in nasal conductance was 73 cm3/s or 43.5 per cent. Post-operative visual analogue patients' reported post-operative visual analogue scales scores for nasal obstruction decreased significantly, both two weeks (p = 0.006) and three months after inferior turbinate coblation (p = 0.001) when compared to Pre-operative values. There was no change in the reported severity of rhinorrhoea, nasal itching or sneezing. There was a significant relationship (ρ = −0.57, p = 0.014) between pre-operative nasal conductance and change in nasal conductance after inferior turbinate coblation.

Conclusions:

This study confirms the short-term efficacy of inferior turbinate coblation for the treatment of nasal obstruction. The benefit was greatest in patients with lower pre-operative nasal conductance. Objective measures of nasal obstruction may be important when selecting patients for inferior turbinate coblation.

Keywords

Nasal ObstructionTurbinatesElectrosurgery
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 3 , March 2009 , pp. 309 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2008

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Footnotes

Presented as a poster at the British Rhinology Society 6th Annual Meeting, 25th May 2007, London, England, and in full at the Welsh Otorhinolaryngological Association Meeting, 26th October 2007, Swansea, Wales, UK.

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