COMPARISON OF SUBMUCOSAL DIATHERMY WITH PARTIAL INFERIOR TURBINECTOMY: A FIFTY CASE STUDY

Objective: To compare the results in respect of safety and efficacy of Submucousal diathermy with partial inferior turbinectomy in terms of bleeding, pain, crusting and healing. Methodology: A prospective comparative study was done at the department of ENT, HMC and Mardan Medical Complex from 01 July 2008 to 31 June 2010. Fifty patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were selected by simple convience method and divided into two groups. Group A was subjected to submucosal diathermy and group B to partial inferior turbinectomy. Patients were assessed with regard to nasal patency, pain, bleeding and crusting. Follow up was done at day 01, day07 and one Month Results: Out of fifty patients, 28 were females and 22 males. They were in the age range of 20 - 60 years. At day one assessment 22 patients with SMD had no bleeding while 10 patients with PIT had moderate bleeding (P=0.00). None of the SMD patients had severe pain while 8 patients with PIT had severe pain (P=0.002). At day seven 12 patients of SMD had moderate crusting as compared to 21 patients of PIT (P=0.008). At the end of one month 23 of SMD patients had good healing while only 13 PIT patients were satisfied with healing(P=0.002). Conclusion: We found Submucousal diathermy a safe and better procedure in respect of bleeding, pain, crusting and healing than partial inferior turbinectomy.