The inside walls of the nose have 3 pairs of long thin bones covered with thin tissue. These bones are called nasal turbinates.
Allergies or other nasal problems can cause the turbinates to swell and block airflow. Surgery can be done to fix blocked airways and improve your breathing.
Alternative Names
Turbinectomy; Turbinoplasty; Turbinate reduction; Nasal airway surgery
Description
There are several types of turbinate surgery:
Turbinectomy:
- All or part of the lower turbinate is taken out. This can be done in several different ways, but sometimes a tiny, high-speed device (microdebrider) is used to shave off the extra tissue.
- The surgery may be done through a lighted camera (endoscope) that is placed into the nose.
- You may have general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, so you are asleep and pain-free during surgery.
Turbinoplasty:
- A tool is placed in the nose to change the position of the turbinate. This is called the outfracture technique.
- Some of the tissue may also be shaved off.
- You may have general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, so you are asleep and pain-free during surgery.
Radiofrequency or laser ablation:
- A thin probe is placed into the nose. Laser light or radioenergy goes through this tube and shrinks the turbinate tissue.
- The procedure can be done in the doctor's office using local anesthesia.
