Diode laser versus radiofrequency treatment of the inferior turbinate - a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Laser and radiofrequency induced volume reduction of the inferior turbinates are frequently used treatment modalities. Which of both is superior, however, is not clear to date due to a lack of controlled prospective studies. Here, we compare both methods regarding improvement of nasal breathing, complications, patient comfort and wound healing.

METHODOLOGY: Prospective, randomized, single-blinded clinical trial with intra-individual design. After randomization, one side of the nose was treated with a 940nm diode laser and the other side with bipolar radiofrequency therapy. Pre- and postoperative evaluation was performed using visual analogue scales, nasal endoscopy and objective measurements of nasal patency.

RESULTS: Of 27 enrolled patients, 26 completed the protocol. No severe complications were observed. Intraoperative discomfort was significantly more severe on the radiofrequency side. After three months, a significant reduction of nasal obstruction was observed for laser treatment and radiofrequency therapy with no significant difference between them. Objective parameters did not improve significantly. When asked which treatment modality they would chose again 50 % of the patients decided for radiofrequency treatment, 23 % for laser treatment, and 19 % for both.

CONCLUSION: DLVR and RFVR are well-tolerated treatment modalities and both significantly reduce the degree of nasal obstruction in patients with hypertrophic inferior turbinates. There was no significant difference between both treatment modalities regarding efficiency.