[Cryosurgery in the treatment of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis]

Introduction: Pharmacological treatment of both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis is not always effective. The aim: Assessment of the effectiveness of treatment of patients with allergic and non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis using cryoablation procedures.

Material and methods: The study involved 60 patients, including 28 women and 32 men, aged 17-76 years (the average age 39) with rhinitis. All participants were assigned into two groups: I group - 18 patients with chronic allergic rhinitis; II group - 42 patients with chronic non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis. The research methodology included: anamnesis, otolaryngological physical examination, rhinomanometer test, performed before and 3 months after the procedure. The cryoablation of nasal turbinates was performed under local anesthesia,with a 1% xylocaine solution using the Cryo-S device from CryoFlex Poland.

Results: After the cryoablation treatment, in both groups the statistically significant improvement was observed both in the subjective assessment of symptoms of nasal obstruction and in the mean rhinomanometry of air flows through the nasal passages during inspiration and exhalation.

Conclusions: Cryosurgical treatment is not the first-line treatment for the treatment of allergic and non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis, it does not remove the causes of the disease. However, it may be an effective method of treatment for some patients and a supplement to existing treatment.