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Comparison of the effectiveness and safety

of radiofrequency turbinoplasty and

traditional surgical technique in treatment of

inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Otolaryngol

Head Neck Surg. 2005 Dec;133(6):972-8.

• Coste A, Yona L, Blumen M, et al.

Radiofrequency is a safe and effective

treatment of turbinate hypertrophy.

Laryngoscope. May 2001;111(5):894-9. ;

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Roine RP. Radiofrequency thermal ablation

for patients with nasal symptoms: a

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complications. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol.

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• Bezerra TF, Padua FG, Pilan RR, Stewart

MG, Voegels RL. Cross-cultural adaptation

and validation of a quality of life

questionnaire: the Nasal Obstruction

Symptom Evaluation questionnaire.

Rhinology. 2011 Jun;49(2):227-31

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Before

RFTR

After

RFTR

n=32

Patient’s impact in quality of life (%)

Quality of Life after Radiofrequency Turbinate Reduction

Mafalda T. Soares MD, Inês Delgado MD, Teresa Gabriel MD, Ana Guimarães MD, Pedro Henriques MD, Filipe Freire MD

Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca Hospital

Amadora, Portugal

INTRODUCTION

RESULTS/DISCUSSION

ABSTRACT METHODS AND MATERIALS

CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is

one of the major causes of nasal

airway obstruction causing

significant impact on quality of life.

Using the Nasal Obstruction

Symptom Evaluation

questionnaire Portuguese version

(NOSE-p), the authors

prospectively analyzed the

outcomes in the quality of life of

patients with inferior turbinate

hypertrophy that underwent

isolated RFTR in our department.

The NOSE-p scores were

obtained before surgery and at 1

month follow-up. In 87,5%

of patients the NOSE–p score

before surgery was greater than

70%.

Our data demonstrated significant

improvement from baseline after 1

month in 90,6% of patients.

Therefore, we can conclude that

RFTR remains a safe and efficient

treatment for patients with nasal

obstruction related to inferior

turbinate hypertrophy.

• Our sample was composed of 32 patients:

• 23 females and 9 males. (chart 1)

• The mean age was 36 years old. (chart 2)

• 75% of patients referred symptoms of allergic rhinitis. (chart 3)

• There were no complications related to the

procedure.

• The NOSE-p questionnaire was applied before

surgery and 1 month after surgery. In 87,5%

of patients the NOSE–p score before surgery was

greater than 70%. (chart 4)

• Our data demonstrated significant improvement from

baseline after 1 month in 90,6% of patients. (chart 4)

Using NOSE-p the authors prospectively

analyzed the outcomes in the quality of life of

patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy that

underwent isolated RFTR in our department in

2014 (fig.1). The NOSE-p scores were obtained

before surgery and at 1 month follow-up.

• CelonProBreath® bipolar electrode 1.1 mm

diameter (fig.2&3)

• Exclusion criteria: patients submitted to other

surgical procedures

The NOSE-p questionnaire showed a great

improvement in the quality of life of patients

that underwent RFTR.

There weren’t complications related to the

procedure. Therefore, we can conclude that

RFTR remains a safe and efficient treatment

for patients with nasal obstruction related to

inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

Inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the

major causes of nasal airway obstruction

causing significant impact on quality of life.

Radiofrequency turbinate reduction (RFTR) is

a minimally invasive surgical option that uses

low-power radiofrequency energy within the

submucosal tissue of the turbinate, reducing

tissue volume with minimal impact on

surrounding tissues. The Nasal Obstruction

Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) instrument is a

disease-specific questionnaire for assessing

the outcome of an intervention in nasal

obstruction. A validation of this questionnaire

was made for Portuguese language by

Bezerra et al. (NOSE-p).

Mafalda Trindade Soares, MD

Email: mafaldamctsoares@gmail.com

OUTCOME OBJECTIVES

Analyze the impact in quality of life and safety

of Radiofrequency turbinate reduction (RFTR)

in patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy.

Males 31%

Females 69%

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

≤ 25 years 26-45 years 46-65 years ≥ 65 years

Nº patients

n=32

n=32

Allergic

Rhinitis

75%

25%

n=32

Chart 1. Sex

Chart 3. Allergic Rhinitis

Chart 2. Age

Chart 4. Quality of life (NOSE-p scores) before and after RFTR

Figure 2 & 3. CelonProBreath® bipolar electrode 1.1 mm diameter

Figure 1. Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation portuguese version: Nose-p