A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of inferior turbinate surgery

Objectives/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study was to compare radiofrequency ablation, diode laser, and microdebrider-assisted inferior turbinoplasty techniques in the treatment of chronic nasal obstruction caused by inferior turbinate enlargement, and to compare these techniques with a placebo procedure.

Study Design

Prospective, randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

Methods

A total of 98 consecutive patients with enlarged inferior turbinates due to persistent year-round rhinitis were randomized into a placebo, radiofrequency ablation, diode laser, and microdebrider-assisted inferior turbinoplasty groups in a ratio of 1:2:2:2. All the procedures were carried out under local anesthesia with the patients' eyes covered. Assessments were conducted prior to surgery and 3 months subsequent to the surgery.

Results

The severity of nasal obstruction measured by visual analog scale score decreased statistically significantly in all the groups, including placebo. Radiofrequency ablation (P = .03), diode laser (P = .02), and microdebrider-assisted inferior turbinoplasty (P = .04) all decreased the symptom score of the severity of nasal obstruction statistically significantly more compared to the placebo procedure.

Conclusions

The placebo effect had a large role in the overall improvement of the severity of nasal obstruction after the inferior turbinate surgery. However, all three techniques provided a statistically significant additional reduction of the severity of nasal obstruction compared to the placebo procedure.

Level of Evidence

1b. Laryngoscope, 2018

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