Treatment of Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Open accessAbstract
In the past 130 years, many surgical procedures for turbinate reduction have been developed. We analyzed the long-term efficacy of 6 of these surgical techniques (turbinectomy, laser cautery, electrocautery, cryotherapy, submucosal resection, and submucosal resection with lateral displacement) over a 6-year follow-up period. We randomly divided 382 patients into 6 therapeutic groups and surgically treated them at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the University of Siena. After 6 years, only submucosal resection resulted in optimal long-term normalization of nasal patency and in restoration of mucociliary clearance and local secretory IgA production to a physiological level with few postoperative complications (p < .001). The addition of lateral displacement of the inferior turbinate improved the long-term results. We recommend, in spite of the greater surgical skill required, submucosal resection combined with lateral displacement as the first-choice technique for the treatment of nasal obstruction due to hypertrophy of the inferior turbinates.
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Procedures that excise mucosa and turbinate bone may have better results.
“In procedures that act by excising mucosa and turbinate bone (partial turbinectomy, submucosal resection [203]), the risk of complication seems somewhat higher [191,204,205], although the results may be better [193,205-209].”
From Position Paper on Nasal Obstruction: Evaluation and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [205]
The Discussion (p. 4) reports excellent relief of nasal obstruction after turbinectomy and optimal long-term nasal patency after submucosal resection. But the Conclusions (p. 5) favor submucosal resection with lateral displacement precisely because it preserves the mucosa; the paper does not support better overall results from excising both mucosa and bone. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredProcedures that excise mucosa and turbinate bone (partial turbinectomy, submucosal resection) have a somewhat higher risk of complication.
“In procedures that act by excising mucosa and turbinate bone (partial turbinectomy, submucosal resection [203]), the risk of complication seems somewhat higher [191,204,205], although the results may be better [193,205-209].”
From Position Paper on Nasal Obstruction: Evaluation and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [205]
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Research works printed but not linked: 18
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- Authors
- Passàli, D., Passàli, F. M., Passàli, G. C., Damiani, V., & Bellussi, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Siena (IT)
- Genoa, Italy
- Siena, Italy
- ORCID
- Venue
- Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2003-08
- Volume
- 112
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 683-688
- ISSN
- 0003-4894 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-572X
- OpenAlex
- W2101227170
- Cited by
- 219
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Cineca Institutional Research Information System (Tor Vergata University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- University of Washington
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Nasal Surgery and Airway Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Otorhinolaryngology › Sinusitis and nasal conditions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Immunology and Allergy › Allergic Rhinitis and Sensitization
- Keywords
- inferior turbinate hypertrophy, submucous resection, nasal obstruction, turbinectomy, electrocautery, cryotherapy, mucociliary clearance, secretory IgA, long-term surgical outcomes
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Female, Humans, Hypertrophy, Immunoglobulin A, Secretory, Male, Middle Aged, Nasal Mucosa, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial, Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures, Turbinates, Nasal Obstruction, Treatment Outcome, Patient Satisfaction
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