COMPARATIVE STUDY
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Inferior turbinoplasty: patient selection, technique, and long-term consequences.

When conservative medical management of symptomatically enlarged inferior turbinates is ineffective, the obstructing tissue may be reduced by an intramucosal or extramucosal destructive procedure (such as electrocautery, cryotherapy, or laser vaporization), or by conservative surgical resection. In the latter instance, enlarged conchal bones may be removed by the technique of turbinate submucous resection, while diffuse stromal hypertrophy necessitates partial resection of the inferior turbinates. A number of techniques of inferior turbinate surgery have been described. I have used the procedure of "inferior turbinoplasty" with increasing frequency for more than 9 years. Three to five years after such surgery, a detailed followup of 40 patients revealed none of the once-feared sequelae of turbinate resection, such as bleeding, crusting, foul nasal discharge, or bothersome postnasal drainage. Histologic examination of turbinates almost 5 years after turbinoplasty revealed fibrosis and scarring, with a marked decrease in mucous gland population, and normal mucosa. To obtain the best possible functional result inferior turbinate surgery is a necessary adjunct to most septal surgery. If conservatively done, it does not impair normal turbinate function. It must be stressed, however, that if the underlying cause of the turbinate hypertrophy is not addressed, recurrent obstruction can and probably will occur.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app