Publication: Comparison of chemical cautery (AgNo3) and steroid spray against SMD (submucosal diathermy) in the treatment of symptomatic inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH)
Date
2007
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
Objective: To compare the efficacy of chemical cautery (AgNo3) and steroid nasal spray against SMD (submucosal
diathermy) in the treatment of symptomatic Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy (ITH).
Materials and Methods: Patients attending OPD in the department of ENT &HNS at KMCTH with symptomatic
Inferior turbinate Hypertrophy were taken with their approval included for the study. Patients were divided into 2
Groups: in the first Group 25 patients were included and treated with chemical cautery (AgNo3) under Local
Anaesthesia (LA), followed by steroid nasal spray for 3 months; in the second Group 25 patients were included and
were treated with SMD (submucosal diathermy) under General Anaesthesia (GA).They all had history of use of
topical nasal decongestant for different time period. Patients were followed up for 6 months.
Results: In Group 1, 16 patients complain of burning sensation for first week and 8 patients complain of
continuous nasal blockage for 6 weeks.1 patient complain about inosmia for 2 weeks.
In Group 2, nasal pain was complained by 17 patient for 2 weeks. 3 patients complain of persistent nasal blockage
for 4 weeks. 3 patients complain of anosmia for 4 weeks.
After completion of 6 months in Group 1, 20 patient has recurrent nasal blockage, whereas in Group 2, 10 patient
has recurrent nasal blockage. Besides these, other symptoms noticed during initial phase did not appear.
Conclusion: chemical cautery (AgNo3) and steroid nasal spray is easy to follow, has less complication ,but failure
rate is high, whereas SMD is procedure with less failure rate, but has to carried out under GA and has more
discomfort postoperatively. For symptomatic inferior turbinate hypertrophy, where topical nasal decongestant has
little role SMD is the choice of treatment for longer relief
Description
Kafle P 1, Maharjan M 2, Shrestha S3, Toran KC 4
1&2 Lecturers, 3Assistant Professor, 4Associate Professor, Department of ENT and HNS, Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal, Kathmandu, Nepal