What are the inferior turbinates?
The inferior turbinates are bulky projections that hang off the sides of the nose, and are comprised of bone and mucosa. If nasal obstruction caused from excessive enlargement (hypertrophy) of inferior turbinates is one of your primary issues, then turbinoplasty (shrinking of the inferior turbinates) can offer you definitive treatment of your breathing problems. Typically, nasal obstruction caused from a inferior turbinate hypertrophy is initially treated with topical medications. Surgery is recommended if medication fails.![]()
The inferior turbinates (red asterisks) can become enlarged and block the flow of air into the nose.
How is a reduction of the inferior turbinates performed?
Turbinoplasty can either be performed in the office using local anesthesia, or as same day surgery in the operating room when it is performed alongside a septoplasty (for treatment of a deviated septum). A small incision is made into the head of the inferior turbinate on each side. A minimally invasive shaving device is gently advanced into this incision and advanced along the length of the inferior turbinate. The device is then turned on, removing pieces of tissue and bone within the inside of the turbinates. As the turbinates heal, they scar from the inside and shrink. The advantage of this technique is that the outside mucosal lining is left intact, improving the healing time and reducing crusting.
Commonly, turbinate surgery is performed in addition to a septoplasty in order to optimize the amount of nasal breathing space present.
What is the recovery for reduction of inferior turbinates?
The recovery for turbinoplasty is very quick, with patients being able to return to their normal activity immediately after the procedure. Pain is well tolerated and typically controlled with over the counter medications. Depending on the severity of your inferior turbinate hypertrophy, you should notice an immediate improvement in your breathing, with a gradual improvement over the coming week as the swelling subsides.
