Long-term Results of Radiofrequency Turbinoplasty for Allergic Rhinitis Refractory to Medical Therapy

Objective: To study the long-term outcomes of radio-frequency (RF) turbinate surgery for the treatment of allergic rhinitis refractory to medical therapy. Design: A retrospective review of a prospective data set. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: A total of 146 patients with allergic rhinitis refractory to medical therapy undergoing RF turbinoplasty were included. Main Outcome Measures: A standard 0 to 10 visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the allergic symptoms including nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, itchy nose, and itchy eyes prior to RF turbinoplasty and at 6 months and 5 years postoperatively. The long-term clinical benefits and complications were reviewed. Statistical analysis was determined by repeated measures of analysis of variance. Results: No adverse reactions such as bleeding, infection, adhesions, or olfactory change were encountered. Of the 146 patients, 119 were followed up at least 5 years postoperatively. Five years after treatment, 101 patients had complete data available for analysis. They reported improvement of nasal obstruction, with the mean (SD) VAS score decreasing from 6.65 (1.92) to 4.45 (2.54). The mean (SD) VAS score changed from 5.90 (2.79) to 3.79 (2.97) for rhinorrhea; from 5.15 (2.77) to 3.50 (2.77) for sneezing; from 3.67 (3.03) to 2.41 (2.30) for itchy nose; and from 2.94 (3.02) to 2.02 (2.42) for itchy eyes (all P<.001, paired t test with Bonferroni correction). Conclusion: This long-term study has demonstrated that the RF turbinoplasty for allergic rhinitis appears to be an effective and safe tool for treating allergic rhinitis refractory to medical therapy.