[Nd:YAG laser treatment of the lower turbinates with contact in hyperreflexic and allergic rhinopathy].

BACKGROUND Nasal obstruction caused by mucosal swelling due to hyperreflectory or allergic rhinitis is a very frequent disorder. We would like to report about our first results (ENT department, University of Göttingen) in the reduction of hyperplastic inferior turbinates by Nd:YAG Laser treatment. PATIENTS AND METHOD One hundred seventeen patients with nasal obstruction were treated by Nd:YAG laser between October 1993 and February 1997. We used the laser in "contact mode" and all outpatients were under local anaesthesia. Follow-up was possible in 83 cases. A subjective scale was used to evaluate our results. One quarter of the patients suffered from an allergic rhinitis. RESULTS For 80% the nasal airflow was increased. Sixty percent had excellent or good results without any nasal obstruction after therapy. The patients with allergic rhinitis performed as well as the patients with hyperreflectory rhinopathy. This improvement appeared as early as four weeks after treatment and was permanent in 37 of 40 cases with long-term observation of at least one year. Side effects: 14% reported a dry nasal mucosa for two weeks; 31% had a bloody nasal secretion for two days after treatment, but did not bleed. Fifteen percent complained of pain during the procedure. CONCLUSION The reduction of the inferior turbinates by Nd:YAG laser is an effective treatment of equal value in symptomatic therapy of the hyperplastic turbinates due to hyperreflectory and allergic rhinopathy. Seventy-three percent of these patients would like to be treated in this way again if necessary.