A study published in Ear, Nose & Throat Journal demonstrated that septoplasty with/without bilateral inferior turbinoplasty decreases nasal obstruction and is helpful to treat people with deviated nasal septum and refractory allergic rhinitis.

Researchers undertook this interventional, prospective study to explore if septoplasty with/without bilateral inferior turbinoplasty improves nasal obstruction and whether adding bilateral inferior turbinoplasty to septoplasty yields significant benefit in people having nasal obstruction due to deviated nasal septum and persistent, moderate-severe allergic rhinitis refractory to optimal medical management.

Overall, 80 participants were randomly assigned into (i) Group A (septoplasty alone, n=40), and (ii) Group B (septoplasty with bilateral inferior turbinoplasty, n=40). At the follow-up, the quality of life of assessed via Subjective Performance parameters (overall satisfaction score, number of outdoor visits/month, days-off/month), and the symptoms were assessed via Nasal Obstruction and Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) score.

As found, septoplasty with/without bilateral inferior turbinoplasty resulted in a considerable decrease in NOSE scores, days-off/month, and the number of outdoor visits/month at three and six months. The overall satisfaction score within groups also improved considerably with time.

Additionally, the inter-group comparison demonstrated substantial improvement in NOSE scores at all the levels of follow-up when bilateral inferior turbinoplasty was incorporated. At any level of follow-up, no inter-group differences were witnessed in the subjective performance parameters. Improvement in overall satisfaction score between groups was vital only at three months but not subsequently.

Though the addition of bilateral inferior turbinoplasty imparts substantial benefit in minimizing nasal obstruction, it does not substantially improve the subjective performance parameters during follow-up, with the exception of overall satisfaction score at the 3rd month, concluded the study authors.