Inferior turbinate reduction: Diode laser or conventional partial turbinectomy?

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Rhinology

Background:

• Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is a primary cause of nasal obstruction.
• Laser-assisted turbinate reduction is an established treatment option.
• Diode laser technology offers potential advantages in turbinate surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare diode laser turbinate reduction (LTR) with conventional partial inferior turbinectomy (PIT).
• To evaluate outcomes including nasal obstruction, postoperative pain, bleeding, and healing.
• To assess the overall morbidity associated with each procedure.

Main Methods:

• A nonrandomized, controlled trial involving 60 patients.
• 30 patients underwent diode LTR, and 30 underwent conventional PIT.
• Outcomes were assessed postoperatively up to 6 months.

Main Results:

• Subjective nasal obstruction relief was significantly higher in the LTR group (90.8%) versus PIT group (65%) at 6 months (p < 0.05).
• Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the LTR group compared to the PIT group (p = 0.0001).
• Intraoperative bleeding was substantially reduced in the LTR group (8.03 ml) versus the PIT group (23.29 ml) (p = 0.00001).
• Healing was markedly faster in the LTR group (mean 3.03 weeks) compared to the PIT group (mean 6.33 weeks) (p = 0.00001).

Conclusions:

• Diode laser turbinate reduction demonstrates superior outcomes compared to conventional partial inferior turbinectomy.
• The diode laser technique results in less morbidity, reduced pain, and faster recovery.
• Diode LTR is an effective and advantageous treatment for inferior turbinate hypertrophy.