Turbinate Reduction

Abstract

With regard to septal surgery, it is always necessary to evaluate the status of the turbinates. The first to describe the turbinate bones was Casserius in 1609 (cited in Courtiss et al. 1978). The inferior turbinate is considerably larger than the middle and the superior turbinates, being well endowed with erectile tissue. The bone is composed oflamellar bone and is completely surrounded by mucosa. The medullar portion contains loose fibro- connective tissue, a matrix, and large arteries. It is lined with pseudo-stratified, ciliated columnar epithelium containing numerous goblet cells, resting on a well defined thin basement membrane. The submucosa contains a large number of secretory glands of the serous and mucous variety, with a predominance of the serous type. Cavernous spaces characterize the submucosa. The mucosa has fewer glandular elements and more vascular spaces than the rest of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity. The good vascularity of the inferior turbinates, derived from the lateral nasal artery, seems to be the basis for its valve-like function.