Modified technique improves efficacy for in-office posterior nasal nerve ablation

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Rhinology

Background:

• Chronic rhinitis affects numerous patients, impacting quality of life.
• Posterior nasal nerve (PNN) ablation offers a minimally invasive treatment option.
• Recent findings indicate extensive parasympathetic innervation posterior to the middle turbinate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a modified PNN ablation technique targeting extensive nasal innervation.
• To evaluate the efficacy of this modified technique in treating chronic rhinitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort analysis of 45 patients undergoing modified PNN ablation.
• Radiofrequency ablation and cryotherapy used at traditional and additional posterior sites.
• Primary outcome: 30% improvement in overall rhinitis symptoms at 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• The modified technique achieved a 91.1% response rate at 3 months.
• This represents a significant improvement from the previous 64.5% response rate (p=0.004).

Conclusions:

• The modified PNN ablation technique demonstrates improved efficacy for chronic rhinitis.
• Targeting extensive post-ganglionic parasympathetic fibers posterior to the middle turbinate is recommended.
• Further prospective randomized studies are needed to compare modified and traditional techniques.