Mini Inferior Turbinoplasty-Tunneling Technique Versus Conventional Partial Inferior Turbinectomy in Adults: A Comparative Study

Background: Inferior turbinate reduction is a well-described procedure performed whenever medical treatment for patients with hypertrophic inferior turbinates or vasomotor rhinitis fails. There are several techniques of turbinate reduction that include turbinectomy, submucous diathermy, inferior turbinoplasty, cryotherapy, CO2 laser turbinoplasty, Coblation channelling and others. Each technique is associated with its own short-term and long-term complications such as bleeding, crusting and recurring of the turbinate hypertrophy. Materials and Methods: We studied 80 patients attending the ENT department outpatients at Aswan university hospital from June 2018 to June 2019. All patients were clinically and radiologically diagnosed with bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy without response to medical treatment. Patients were randomized to two groups: Group A patients that underwent Mini turbinoplasty using tunnelling techniques and Group B patients that had conventional partial inferior turbinectomy Technique. Results: The intraoperative time was longer in group A patients who had turbinoplasty-tunneling technique compared to group B who had conventional partial turbinectomy. However, intraoperative blood loss and nasal Packing were required mostly in group B patients. Postoperative bleeding and crustations were significantly higher in group B patients. There was no significant difference regarding the percentage synechia between both groups. Nasal obstruction symptom markedly improved in group B patients. Conclusion: The current study revealed that Conventional Partial Inferior Turbinectomy is better than Mini Inferior Turbinoplasty Tunneling Technique regarding relief of symptoms of nasal obstruction.