Surgical Intervention in Allergic Rhinitis: Stuffy Versus Sneezy Runny Nose

AbstractTo detect proportion and surgical outcome of adult patients with allergic rhinitis non-responsive to medical treatment. To identify clinical candidacy for submucous turbinoplasty of inferior turbinate resection or soft tissue reduction. A prospective descriptive study of adults with clinical allergic rhinitis was done. Non-responders to medical therapy were identified and outcome of surgical intervention analyzed.  There were 393 patients. Eighty-one patients (21%) were refractory to medical therapy. Presenting symptoms were sneezing with watery rhinorrhea among 72% and nasal obstruction in 28% patients All patients in the latter group had hypertrophied inferior turbinates with associated deviated nasal sept um in 36.6%. Bony and mucosal inferior turbinate hypertrophy among 73.3% and mucosal hypertrophy among 26.7% were identified by a negative or positive response to on-table local vasoconstrictor application respectively. Submucosal inferior turbinoplasty with turbinate resection in the former and sof t tissue reduction in the latter group were done, along with septoplasty among 36%. All patients revealed significant reduction in postoperative SNOT score. Crusting was more during early postoperative period among those with soft tissue reduction and simultaneous septoplasty, necessitating meticulo us endoscopic follow-up. Adult allergic rhinitis presenting predominantly with nasal obstruction (‘stuffy nose’), could be non-responsive to medical therapy unlike sn...
Source: Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Source Type: research