Keywords
Endoscopy
Laser Therapy
Treatment Outcome
Turbinate Hypertrophy
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes and postoperative recovery associated with submucosal diathermy (SMD) and endoscopic diode laser-assisted turbinoplasty (DLAT) in patients with bilateral inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH).
Method: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Rawal General and Dental Hospital, Islamabad, between January and June 2024. A total of 60 patients with bilateral ITH who did not respond to medical therapy were included. Patients were alternately allocated according to the order of enrolment into Group A (SMD) or Group B (DLAT). Nasal airway function was assessed using the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) score at baseline and during a 12-week follow-up. The secondary outcomes included operative time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative pain, postoperative complications, mucosal recovery, and patient satisfaction.
Results: Both groups showed improvement in NOSE scores; however, the DLAT group demonstrated greater improvement at 12 weeks, with significantly lower scores than the SMD group (10.1±8.1 vs. 30.9±12.6; P < .001). DLAT was associated with less mild intraoperative bleeding (6.7% vs. 23.3%), lower postoperative pain (2.8±0.6 vs. 4.2±0.8), and greater patient satisfaction (86.7% vs. 63.3%), whereas SMD required less operative time.
Conclusion: Both SMD and endoscopic DLAT were associated with symptom improvement in patients with ITH. The DLAT was associated with more favourable postoperative outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
Keywords: Diathermy; Endoscopy; Laser Therapy; Treatment Outcome; Turbinate Hypertrophy.
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