The effect of submucous resecti on nasal patency applied on the patients with septal deviation and contralateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy: a randomized clinical trial

Respiration is the primary function of the nose and nasal obstruction is the most frequent nasal complaint among patients. Septum deviation and inferior turbinate hypertrophy are the most common etiologic factors for the nasal obstruction. Today, acoustic rhinometry (AR) and rhinomanometry (RM) are the most common objective nasal airway tests performed for the diagnosis of these disorders. Nose have several functions other than being an airway such as smelling, protection, cleaning, adjusting of the temperature and humudity of the air. For the determination of the benefit ratio of inferior turbinate surgery, it is necessary to show the effects of this treatment modality on the nasal ciliary function objectively.In our study, submucous turbinate resection has been used for the treatment of contralateral, compensatory inferior turbinate hypertrophy in patients who had septal deviation.The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of submucous resection on the nasal siliary function and to evaluate the efficacy of this turbinate surgery to relief nasal obstruction by using AR and RM objectively.Fourty-two patients, who had septal deviation and contralateral compensatory inferior turbinate hypertrophy were included in the study. Functional septoplasty was done in all patients. Tweenty-one patients were randomly selected to have submucous resection for the treatment of hypertrophic inferior turbinate at the time of septal surgery. For an objective nasal airway evaluation, cross sectional areas and nasal airway volumes are determined by using AR and RM tests in the preoperative period. The same tests were repeated postoperatively in the 1st, 3rd and 6th months.In order to determine any possible change in the mucociliary transportation function of inferior turbinate among the patients who had inferior turbinate operation, nasal ciliary function of all patients were assessed by using saccarin transportation time test. After the comprasion of the results, there was a statistically significant increase in the nasal airway cross sectional space after the submucous resection on hypertrophic inferior turbinate, at the same time with septoplasty. As a result it seems that, submucous resection to minimize the inferior turbinate against hypertrophy would be necessary for the treatment of nasal obstruction. Otherwise, submucous turbinate resection have not any negative effect on nasal ciliary function.Key words: Septoplasty; Inferior turbinate hypertrophy; Acoustic rhinometry; Rhinomanometry.