Comparing the Effect of SubMucosal Resection With Electrocautery Method for the Treatment of Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy at Amir Kabir Hospital in Arak City

 Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the most common causes of nasal obstruction after nasal septal deviation. Enlargement of the turbinate is the result of the position of turbinate bone or swelling of turbinate submucosal. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SubMucosal Resection (SMR) method with electrocautery method in the treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

 A total of 140 patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy complicated with nasal congestion and rhinorrhea and candidate of surgery were randomly divided into two groups. In the first group, after induction of anesthesia, we performed SMR of inferior turbinate hypertrophy. In the second group, after induction of anesthesia, we performed monopolar cauterization with 20-gauge angiocath in three anterior, middle, and posterior regions and crests of the inferior turbinate.

 This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: 91.133.3).

 In the electrocautery group, a significant improvement was observed in nasal congestion after 6 months (P=0.017). In the SMR group, a satisfactory headache improvement was reported (P=0.034), one month after the operation. Also, the electrocautery group reported less pain and burning in the site of surgery, sneezing, coughing, and itching (P=0.013). 

 Electrocautery can be superior over SMR because of its less bleeding, shorter time of surgery, the availability of primary equipment, and relative improvement in decreasing the rhinorrhea. However, if the patient suffers from isolated inferior turbinate hypertrophy, SMR as a suitable method is recommended.