Publication:

Clinical outcome following septoplasty with or without inferior turbinate reduction

Background Deviation of nasal septum towards one side is often associated with over growth of inferior turbinate, which occupies expansive space of contralateral nasal cavity. The enlargement of inferior turbinate can be due to mucosal elements or bony expansion. Many surgeons are of the belief if septoplasty is done, compensatory hypertrophy regresses on its own. There are others who argue that these changes are not spontaneously reversible and should be corrected in conjunction with nasal septal surgery. Otherwise surgery may relieve the obstruction on one side of nose but leave other side of obstructed because of relocation of septum towards hypertrophied turbinate.

Methods A prospective interventional randomized comparative study is carried out from 1st November 2017 to 31th March 2019, with a sample size of 40 patients. Patients were divided in two surgical groups; group A, with conventional septoplasty done and group B, with reduction of inferior turbinate along with conventional septoplasty done. Post operatively patients’ symptoms will be evaluated using nasal obstructions evaluation scale (NOSE) and nasal airway with nasal endoscopy at 1, 3 and 6 months, and compared with preoperative findings.

Results Data is analyzed using percentage graph and tables. The comparisons of NOSE score at 1, 3- and 6-months interval showed the p value of 0.001 which was significant. Also comparison of two groups with NOSE score showed significant improvement in group B.

Conclusions The study shows that hypertrophied turbinate need reduction along with septoplasty in cases of long standing nasal obstruction.