Total inferior turbinectomy: operative results and technique

The internal nasal structures, including the turbinates, regulate the nasal airflow. The surgical treatment of turbinate hypertrophy remains controversial. A wide variety of surgical procedures is performed, with universally unsatisfactory results. Interference with nasal physiology and possible postoperative complications have been the main reasons for the objection to total inferior turbinectomy. Over a 6-year period, 357 total inferior bilateral turbinectomies were performed at our institution. We present the results of these procedures and describe our surgical technique. We conclude that even in a hot and dusty climate, total inferior turbinectomy is an effective and relatively safe procedure.