Septal swell body treatment by transmucosal, incisionless radiofrequency reduction

Abstract

The septal swell body (SSB), variously referred to as the nasal septal turbinate or nasal SSB, is a mucosal substructure of the anterosuperior nasal septum. The SSB plays a putative role in nasal airway physiology, nasal airway obstruction (NAO), and related rhinologic conditions. Historically, little attention has been paid to surgical treatment of the SSB. The purpose of this report is to describe an incisionless, transmucosal, radiofrequency (RF) ablative technique for the SSB. This straightforward procedure can be performed in the outpatient clinic using topical anesthesia and rigid nasal endoscopy with a commercially available RF treatment device. Videoendoscopy from a representative case example is provided, and the transmucosal, incisionless SSB RF reduction technique is described.