Carbon dioxide laser turbinectomy. An electron microscopic study

Ten patients with chronic non-allergic rhinitis and presenting mainly with nasal obstruction due to hypertrophied inferior turbinates were subjected to laser turbinectomy using CO2. Tiny biopsies were taken, at the time of surgery as well as one month later, and were processed for transmission electron microscopy. The ultrastructural observations included: early epithelial loss which was followed by prompt regeneration of healthy epithelium, decreased number and activity of the seromucinous glands, fibrosis of the connective tissue stroma, as well as diminished number and congestion of the cavernous blood spaces. These observations were discussed in view of the excellent clinical response of the patients.