Inferior turbinate

Abstract

Nasal obstruction is a common complication found in patients that suffer from chronic rhinitis and have surgical procedures done. The most common cause of this is persistence of inferior turbinate hypertrophy (Fig. 1). The more commonly used techniques to reduce the hypertrophy are well known for their results. Diathermy, crioapplication, total or partial resection and CO₂ or Nd YAG lasers are destructive techniques that eliminate the ciliated respiratory epithelium, which changes the patterns of mucociliary flow within the nose. For this reason, techniques that protect this epithelium have become necessary. In our five-year experience we have used a technique to reduce the size of the turbinates by removing the submucosa from the cavernous vascular stroma.