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Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract

Background : Radiofrequency inferior turbinate reduction has been proven toreduce the volume of the inferior turbinate. The aim of lateraloutfracture of the inferior turbinate is to displace the position ofthe inferior turbinate laterally which makes the nasal cavity wider.The efficacy of the lateral outfracture is questionable. However,some authors usually combine lateral outfracture of the inferiorturbinate with other techniques of inferior turbinate reduction.Objective : To compare efficacy and adverse effects between bipolarradiofrequency turbinate reduction with lateral outfracture(BRTR with LO) and bipolar radiofrequency turbinate reductionalone (BRTR alone) in chronic rhinitis patients with inferiorturbinate hypertrophy.Setting : Department of Otolaryngology, King Chulalongkorn MemorialHospitalResearch design : Randomized controlled trialMaterial and Methods : Fifty patients were enrolled. Intervention was randomized andperformed by BRTR with LO or BRTR alone. Nasal obstructionsymptom on postoperative week 8, total nasal volume onpostoperative week 8 and adverse effects were compared.The outcome assessor, who was not the surgeon, and thepatients were blinded to the treatment allocation.Results : Means ± SD of the preoperative and postoperative week 8 nasalobstruction symptom scores in BRTR with LO group were7.13 ± 1.26 and 1.60 ± 1.40, respectively. In BRTR alone group,there were 7.03 ± 1.55 and 1.11 ± 1.36, respectively. Medians(IQR) of the nasal obstruction symptom on week 8 in BRTR withLO and BRTR alone groups were 1.40 (0.35 - 2.55) and 0.70(0.05 - 1.70), respectively. The difference did not have statisticalsignificance (p = 0.100). Means ± SD of the nasal volume onpostoperative week 8 in BRTR with LO and BRTR alone groupswere 9.97 ± 1.84 and 10.11 ± 2.24, respectively. The differencedid not have statistical significance (p = 0.822), Medians (IQR)of the intraoperative pain in BRTR with LO and BRTR alonegroups were 2.30 (0.50 - 4.90) and 0.90 (0.15-6.25),respectively. The difference did not have statistical significance(p = 0.600), Medians (IQR) of the postoperative pain day 1 inBRTR with LO and BRTR alone groups were 0.60 (0.30 - 2.95)and 0.50 (0.15 - 2.95), respectively. The difference did not havestatistical significance (p = 0.669), Proportions (%) of none/mild/moderate/severe postoperative bleeding in BRTR with LOand BRTR alone groups were = 4/64/28/4 and 20/64/16/0,respectively. The difference did not have statistical significance(p = 0.214).Conclusion : No statistically significant differences of the efficacy andadverse effects were found between bipolar radiofrequencyturbinate reduction with lateral outfracture and bipolarradiofrequency turbinate reduction alone in chronic rhinitispatients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Although nostatistical significance in adverse effects, severe postoperativebleeding was observed in one patient who underwent bipolarradiofrequency turbinate reduction with lateral outfracture.

Publisher

Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

First Page

131

Last Page

144

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