Radiofrequency Ablation and Microdebrider-Assisted Turbinoplasty: 5-Year Postoperative Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Allergy and Immunology

Background:

• Persistent allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms despite medication may necessitate surgical intervention.
• Turbinoplasty is a surgical option for managing AR.
• Radiofrequency ablation and microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty are common turbinoplasty techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the 5-year outcomes of radiofrequency ablation turbinoplasty and microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty.
• To assess long-term treatment effects on allergic rhinitis symptoms and patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study of 241 patients with AR who underwent turbinoplasty between 2010 and 2017.
• Patients were divided into microdebrider-assisted (n=192) and radiofrequency ablation (coblator, n=49) groups.
• Data collected included medication scores, satisfaction, and symptom severity via a 5-year telephone survey.

Main Results:

• Both surgical techniques demonstrated significant 5-year improvement in AR symptoms (p<0.001).
• The radiofrequency ablation group showed significantly better medication scores compared to the microdebrider group (p<0.05).
• Postoperative satisfaction scores differed significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions:

• Radiofrequency ablation and microdebrider-assisted turbinoplasty are equally effective for improving nasal symptoms in allergic rhinitis patients over 5 years.
• Both methods enhance medication ratings, with radiofrequency ablation showing an advantage in medication scores and overall satisfaction.