S M R of inferior turbinate in chronic hypertrophic rhinitis

A study was undertaken to evaluate the role of unilatcral/bilateral submucous resection of the inferior turbinates in fifty cases of chronic hypertrophic rhinitis. Patients associated with deflected nasal septum or sinus infectious were excluded from the study. Decongesiton of turbinates was done to exclude the cases with predominantly mucosal hypertrophy. Gertner (1984) plate method was used to asses the nasal patency preoperatively and then post-operatively at 1, 3 and 6 months follow up. The analysis of observations made revealed SMR of inferior turbinate to be a very effective modality tor relieving nasal obstruction due to bony turbinal hypertrophy. The procedure has least interference with nasal mucosal integrity and functions and complications associated with the procedure have been found to be minimal. Histopathological examination of mucosa and of ostenid tissue revealed infiltration by chronic inflammatory cells suggesting chronic nonspecific inflammation either due to non-specific infections and / or allergy).