Diode Laser Reduction of Symptomatic Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy

Inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical management is one of the commonest problems encountered by ENT surgeons all over the world. Diode Laser turbinate reduction is a safe, minimally invasive, cost-effective procedure that helps in relieving the symptoms associated with it and can be performed on a day care basis under local anesthesia. The objective of this study is to measure the effectiveness of Diode laser in treatment of symptomatic ITH.

Fifty patients with symptomatic inferior turbinate hypertrophy, age ranging between 15-45 years were enrolled in the study. Symptom assessment was done with the visual analogue scale. Portable Diode laser was used. Patients were followed up after 1 week and 1 month of surgery. During each postoperative visit, symptoms were reassessed using VAS and postoperative morbidity were noted.

Out of fifty patients, all the patients had nasal obstruction and 42 had nasal discharge and by the end of 1 month 43 (86%) and 37 (88%) patients had relief of symptoms respectively. Excessive sneezing was found in 45 patients, 39 (86.6%) patients got benefitted. Out of 18 patients, 15 (83.3%) patients had decreased snoring at 1 month post-op. Similarly, 24 patients had headache, 20 (83.3%) patients had decrease in severity. Hyposmia was seen in 19 patients, 10 (52.6%) patients had improvement in olfaction.

Diode laser turbinate reduction for symptomatic inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the safest procedures that can be done under local anesthesia on OPD basis with significant relief of symptoms and with minimal complications.