Clinical Effectiveness of Coblation Inferior Turbinate Reduction

Abstract

We sought to determine the safety and clinical effectiveness of coblation (short for "cold ablation") inferior turbinate reduction for turbinate hypertrophy. A consecutive series of adult patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy were treated with the coblation technique in the office setting. Subjective symptoms were assessed prior to treatment and at the 3- and 6-month intervals after treatment with the Rhinosinusitis Symptom Inventory (RSI) and a short nasal symptom questionnaire. Twenty-four of 26 treated patients completed the protocol. At the 3-month follow-up, statistically significant decreases in the nasal and overall symptom domains of the RSI were noted (changes of -10.5 and -8.7, with P = 0.018 and P = 0.015, respectively). These improvements were also significant at the 6-month follow-up (-20.1 and -15.8 with, P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). At the 3-month interval, nasal obstruction and amount of time with nasal obstruction were significantly decreased (P = 0.006 and P = 0.011, respectively). These decreases remained statistically significant and slightly larger in magnitude at 6 months (P = 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Postoperative epistaxis occurred in 2 of 24 (8.3%) of patients. Coblation inferior turbinate reduction is an effective procedure for inferior turbinate hypertrophy. The clinical benefit persists at 6 months after the procedure.