Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2018 Jul;61(7):355-360. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2017.00661.

Efficacy of Treatment with Coblation Turbinate Reduction in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis Responding to Medication

• Heo SJ
• Park CM
• Kim JS

• KMID: 2436509
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2017.00661

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The effectiveness of turbinate surgery has been well demonstrated in allergic rhinitis refractory to medication. On the contrary, the efficacy of surgery in allergic rhinitis that responds to medication has not been assessed. The aim of this study was to determine the surgical outcomes in patients with allergic rhinitis responsive to medication.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Patients with allergic rhinitis responsive to medication and those who had undergone coblation turbinate reduction were enrolled in this study. The visual analog scale was used to assess the allergic symptoms before treatment, during medication treatment as well as postoperatively at 6 and 12 months. In addition, the degree of patient satisfaction regarding the surgery was investigated postoperatively at 12 months.
RESULTS
Twenty-four patients (mean age=33.6±14.9 years; men-to-women ratio=1:1) were included in this study. During the pretreatment period, all allergic symptoms significantly improved after treatment with both medication and surgery. At 6 months postoperatively, the degree of patients' allergic symptoms was lower than in those treated with medication. However, when compared at 12 months postoperatively, all the symptoms, excluding nasal obstruction, were not significantly different from those who received medication. Surveyed postoperatively at 12 months 54.2% of patients advocated for surgical treatment.
CONCLUSION
Although surgery yielded better outcome than did medication during the early postoperative period, there was little difference in the outcome at 12 months postoperatively. Therefore, we need to be careful when choosing surgical intervention for patients with allergic rhinitis responsive to medication.

Keyword

Allergic rhinitis; Pulsed radiofrequency treatment; Treatment outcome; Turbinate

MeSH Terms

Humans
Methods
Nasal Obstruction
Patient Satisfaction
Postoperative Period
Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment
Rhinitis, Allergic*
Treatment Outcome
Turbinates*
Visual Analog Scale