[Inferior turbinectomy in asthmatic children]

Nineteen children with asthma underwent bilateral inferior turbinectomy from 1990 to 1995. Mean age was 11.5 years (range 8-17). All had obstructive allergic rhinitis and were resistant to long-term local corticosteroids. All operations were done under general anesthesia and endoscopic control. Mean hospital stay was 3 days. The postoperative period was uneventful and mean follow-up is 21 months (10-44). The patients described outcome as a clear improvement (n = 15), partial improvement (n = 3) and unilateral improvement (n = 1). The effect on asthma was more difficult to ascertain due to the number of cofactors. It can be noted however that asthma was not aggravated and that in 9 cases episodes decreased in frequency. Inferior turbinectomy provides considerable improvement in the comfort of patients with asthma, especially in terms of nasal ventilation.