Radio-wave Therapy of Inferior Turbinates for Treatment of Intractable Vasomotor Rhinitis - a Clinical Study of the Subjective Long-term Outcome

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the subjective outcome after treatment with bi-polar radio-wave frequency therapy of the inferior turbinates in patients with vasomotor rhinitis unresponsive to nasal steroid treatment.Material and Methods: Details of 151 patients with vasomotor rhinitis were collected from an electronic patient-record system. The main indica- tion for turbinectomy with radio-wave frequency therapy was nasal congestion. Using a questionnaire with a follow-up time between 9 and 33 months, radio-wave therapy demonstrated good subjective results with respect to nasal congestion and patient relief. No serious side effects were reported.Conclusion: Radio-wave frequency therapy is a low cost procedure suitable for out-patient clinics; the procedure is easy to perform and has a good long term effect on nasal congestion in patients with intractable vasomotor rhinitis.