Office CO2 laser turbinoplasty

Abstract

We conducted a prospective study of office carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser turbinoplasty as a treatment for symptoms related to turbinate dysfunction in 58 patients. All patients completed surveys before and 1 month after treatment, and 23 patients completed longer-term follow-up surveys 8 to 24 months postoperatively. The 1-month postoperative assessments demonstrated a trend toward symptom improvement, as many patients reported a decrease in their use of pretreatment medications. Long-term benefit was achieved in 70% of patients. Ten patients underwent pre- and post-treatment biopsies, and histologic evaluation demonstrated minimal tissue alteration following treatment, alleviating concerns of physiological and functional compromise. We conclude that office-based CO(2) laser turbinoplasty is a useful tool for the treatment of disorders related to turbinate dysfunction. We describe one clinician's method of performing office CO(2) laser turbinoplasty, and we report his experience and findings.