Powered microdebrider turbinoplasty for inferior turbinate hypertrophy

4.1 In a randomised controlled trial of 120 patients treated by powered microdebrider or radiofrequency‑assisted turbinoplasty, mean visual analogue scale scores (ranging from 1 to 10, with lower scores indicating better outcomes) for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring improved from 8.7 to 1.4, 6.2 to 1.7, 7.0 to 1.6 and from 6.6 to 1.6 respectively in the microdebrider group at 6‑month follow‑up (p values <0.05). In the radiofrequency group, mean visual analogue scale scores for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring improved from 8.5 to 1.5, 6.0 to 1.8, 6.6 to 1.7 and from 6.7 to 1.6 respectively at 6‑month follow‑up (p values <0.05). No statistically significant differences in visual analogue scale scores were observed between the 2 treatments at 6‑month follow‑up. At 3‑year follow‑up, mean visual analogue scale scores for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring were better in the microdebrider group (1.6, 1.9, 1.7 and 1.8 respectively) than in the radiofrequency group (8.3, 5.6, 6.5, and 6.2 respectively). All inter-group comparison p values were less than 0.05.

4.2 In a randomised controlled trial of 160 patients treated by powered microdebrider turbinoplasty or submucosal resection of the inferior turbinate, mean visual analogue scale scores (ranging from 1 to 10, with lower scores indicating better outcomes) for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring improved from 8.7 to 1.5, 6.2 to 1.8, 7.0 to 1.6 and from 6.7 to 1.5 respectively in the microdebrider group at 2‑year follow‑up (p values <0.0001). In the submucosal resection group, mean visual analogue scale scores for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring improved from 8.5 to 1.5, 6.0 to 1.8, 6.7 to 1.7 and from 6.6 to 1.6 respectively at 2‑year follow‑up (p values <0.05); no statistically significant differences were observed between groups at 2‑year follow‑up. At 3‑year follow‑up, mean visual analogue scale scores for nasal obstruction, sneezing, rhinorrhoea and snoring were 1.5, 1.8, 1.6 and 1.6 respectively in the microdebrider group and 1.5, 1.9, 1.7, and 1.6 respectively in the submucosal resection group (there were no statistically significant differences between groups).

4.3 In the randomised controlled trial of 120 patients treated by powered microdebrider or radiofrequency-assisted turbinoplasty, mean total nasal resistance (using 75 Pa as the reference point) improved from 0.32 to 0.15 Pa/ml/s (p<0.05) and from 0.31 to 0.15 Pa/ml/s (p<0.05) respectively at 6‑month follow‑up (there was no statistically significant difference between groups). At 3‑year follow‑up, mean total nasal resistance in the microdebrider and radiofrequency-assisted turbinoplasty groups were 0.16 and 0.31 Pa/ml/s respectively (p<0.05).

4.4 In a randomised controlled trial of 40 patients treated by powered microdebrider or laser‑assisted turbinoplasty, nasal cavity volumes increased from 8.5 to 13.3 cm³ (p<0.05) and from 8.3 to 13.2 cm³ (p<0.05) respectively at 6‑month follow‑up (there was no statistically significant difference between groups).

4.5 Specialist advisers listed subjective and objective improvements in the nasal airway as key efficacy outcomes.