Short-term therapeutic effect of low-temperature plasma ablation associated with inferior turbinate lateral fracture on chronic hypertrophic rhinitis

Objective To compare the short-term therapeutic effect of simple low-temperature plasma inferior turbinate ablation and low temperature plasma ablation associated with inferior turbinate lateral fracture on chronic hypertrophic rhinitis. Methods In this prospective study,73 patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinitis were divided into the control group (Group A containing 35 patients who underwent the surgery of simple low-temperature plasma inferior turbinate ablation) and the experimental group(Group B, containing 38 patients who underwent the surgery of low temperatue plasma ablation associated with inferior turbinate lateral fracture). Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the subjective symptoms before and 6 months after the operation. The distance between inferior turbinate and septum was recorded to represent the width of nasal cavity. Results There were no significant difference both in the VAS scores and the distance from inferior turbinate to septum before operation between the two groups(P0.05). But the significant difference was found after operation between the two groups(P0.05). All measurements were significantly different within the two groups before and after operation (P0.05). Conclusions For chronic hypertrophic rhinitis, the surgery of low-temperature plasma ablation associated with inferior turbinat lateral fracture was superior to simple low-temperature plasma ablation of the inferior turbinate both in the subjective symptom and objective measurement.