Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy: Review and Graduated Approach to Surgical Management

BACKGROUND: Surgical techniques for managing inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) vary widely and have evolved substantially in the past four decades as new technologies have emerged. METHODS: Literature review. RESULTS: Inferior turbinate (IT) procedures can be categorized as: simple turbinate outfracture; turbinoplasty techniques such as extramucosal destruction, and submucosal tissue removal; and extramural turbinate resection (partial or complete). Each of these approaches has advantages and drawbacks. Considerations for technique selection include clinical setting (in-office versus operating room), cost of the devices used, efficacy of the procedure to relieve nasal obstruction, and minimizing postoperative complications such as nuisance bleeding, adhesion formation, and crusting. CONCLUSION: There are a variety of contemporary surgical techniques used for IT reduction. This article highlights the available literature and gaps in current knowledge. A graduated approach to the management of ITH will be presented.