Effects of Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation on the Nasal Cycle Measured Using Rhinomanometry

Objective: This study was designed to research the effects of radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFTA) surgery on the nasal cycle, with anterior rhinomanometry being used for assessment. Methods: Thirty patients with inferior concha hypertrophy and 13 healthy volunteers were included in this study. An anterior rhinomanometry was performed on each of the patients before surgery and at 1 month and 6 months after surgery, and on the volunteers in the control group, simultaneously. Results: Nineteen of the 30 patients and 8 of the 13 healthy participants showed a distinct type of nasal cycle at different periods of measurement. The mean of the total nasal airflow of the patients was lower before RFTA surgery but increased at a rate of 71.07%, closer to the value of the control group, after RFTA surgery. After RFTA, the unilateral nasal airflow (fmin and fmax) values increased at ratios of 22.36% and 94.44%, respectively. The amplitude (fmax-fmin) showed a statistically significant decrease in the postoperative period (108.43 +/- 54.37), when compared with that of the preoperative period (202.80 +/- 81.24) (P < .01). Conclusion: We conclude that the RFTA is a useful method for treating inferior concha hypertrophy, because it positively affects the nasal physiology, increasing the total nasal airflow without changing the nasal cycle time.