COMPARISON OF EFFICACY OF CRYOSURGERY AND SUBMUCOSAL DIATHERMY FOR INFERIOR TURBINATE HYPERTROPHY

Abstract

Background: Nasal obstruction is the most common presenting complaint in ENT practice. Nasal obstruction has many adverse effects which include mouth breathing, dryness of mouth, disordered sleep and reduced lung volumes. Turbinate hypertrophy is frequently the base of nasal obstructive diseases. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of cryosurgery and submucosal diathermy in terms of relief of nasal obstruction caused by hypertrophied inferior turbinates. Material & Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at ENT Department, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan for six months. A total of 106 patients (53 in each group) were observed. Consecutive non-probability sampling technique was used for sample collection. Chi-square test was used to compare the efficacy in two groups and p≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of patients in cryosurgery was 28±1.59 years while in submucosal diathermy 30±2.11 years. In cryosurgery 55% patients were males and 45% females whereas in submucosal diathermy 58% patients were males and 42% females. Cryosurgery was effective in 90% patients while submucosal diathermy was effective in 80% patients. Conclusion: Our study concludes that cryosurgery is more effective than submucosal diathermy in terms of relief of nasal obstruction caused by hypertrophied inferior turbinates.

Keywords

• cryosurgery
• diathermy
• hypertrophy
• turbinates
• nasal obstruction.