[Efficacy of partial inferior turbinectomy in the treatment of nasal obstruction. Retrospective study apropos of 71 patients].

Longtime discredited, practiced with reticence even today, the inferior turbinectomy represents the treatment of choice in patients with persistent chronic nasal obstruction despite medical treatment or cauterization. Between January 1989 and December 1995, 81 patients underwent an isolated bilateral inferior turbinectomy (without an associated septal or sinus intervention). This retrospective study analyzes the short and long-term results in 71 patients with a one year minimum follow-up. Turbinectomy was in all cases always partial and managed under endoscopic guiding. Mean follow-up was 33 months, based on a patient's questionnaire. No cases of crusting rhinitis were observed. 81,7% of patients were improved by the surgical intervention. In asthmatic patients, no worsening of the asthma was noted, whereas in 28,5% of these cases, there was an improvement or disappearance. Non serious adverse effects appear after surgery as rhinorrhea (16%) and post nasal drip (18,4%). The surgical turbinate reduction represents an option in the care of patients with chronic nasal obstruction associated with inferior turbinate hypertrophy.