Endoscopic Bipolar Radiofrequencies And Lateralization For The Treatment Of Inferior Turbinates Hypertrophy

Objective: To evaluate the treatment of hypertrophy of inferior turbinates' with the combined use of endoscopic bipolar radiofrequencies with lateralization. Design – Setting: Preliminary non randomized prospective uncontrolled clinical trial conducted in a secondary ENT clinic. Participants Methods: We present the management of 35 patients with hypertrophy of the inferior turbinates using bipolar radiofrequencies submucosally under endoscopic control, in combination with lateralization of the inferior turbinates bilaterally. All the procedures were performed under local anesthesia. Main outcome Measures: The complications were pain during the procedure in two patients (5.7%) and synechiae in three patients (9.6%). Thirty patients (93.75%) reported a significant improvement of their nasal patency at the end of the fourth month of the follow up based on five point scale. The 12-month follow-up revealed also good results in 26 patients (81.3%). Results-Conclusion: Preliminary results indicate that endoscopic bipolar radiofrequencies and lateralization of inferior turbinates present an efficient outpatient option for the treatment of inferior turbinates hypertrophy. A randomized controlled study has been designed to compare this technique for the treatment of inferior turbinates hypertrophy with radiofrequencies application alone.