When patients with allergic rhinitis do not respond to conservative medical therapy, surgical options are considered. Among these are Laser Mucotomy (Laser Turbinoplasty) and Radiofrequency (RF) turbinate reduction, also known as RF turbinate ablation or RF turbinoplasty, both are day case office procedures which is cost-effective and minimally invasive.
Laser mucotomy (laser assisted Turbinoplasty –LAPT) of the inferior turbinates is a simple procedure done under local anesthesia for patients who failed treatment conservatively.
A controlled amount of tissue from the inferior turbinates is ablated with improvement in the symptoms of sneezing rhinorhea and nasal obstruction. Anterior end of the inferior turbinates (the trigger zone) are cauterized and there is less sneezing after wards.
The procedure is easy to perform, there is no bleeding, and it is painless and done as a day case procedure.
When compared with electric cautery, cryotherapy or surgical resection, there is hardly any side effects while using laser.
RF ablation has advantage in getting more tissue shrinkage thus helping relieving nasal blockage in vasomotor rhinitis, but less effective in nasal allergy.
