Inferior Turbinate Reduction Surgery in Children

We assessed the effectiveness and safety of surgical reduction of the inferior turbinate in 64 children, ages three to 15 years, who were operated on between January 1985 and November 1995. All patients/parents were interviewed and assessed by means of a questionnaire one to 10 years postoperatively. All patients had follow-up and were evaluated clinically at one and two weeks postoperatively. Long-term follow-up visits occurred at six, 12 and 24 months. Eighty-nine percent of the children/parents reported a sustained improvement in their nasal airways. No cases of serious postoperative hemorrhage, excessive dryness nor long-term crusting of the nose were observed or reported. We conclude that in the treatment of children with severe nasal obstruction, surgical reduction of the inferior turbinate is a safe and effective operation, alone or in combination with other airway procedures, and may increase the effectiveness of subsequent medical management.