Inferior turbinate is the largest among the three nasal turbinates. It
is highly vascular and scroll shape in structure. The Inferior Turbinate
acts as a surface area to humidify air needed by the mucous membrane.
It also collects the dust and the unwanted dust particles. The inferior
turbinate spreads over the whole length of nasal airway. The front portion
of inferior turbinate can be touched and the other end leads to where
the adenoids are located.
What is
Inferior Turbinate Surgery?
The inferior turbinate surgery is a surgery done to reduce the size of
the inferior turbinate which is enlarged due to some nasal problems. The
enlarging ability of the inferior turbinate can also be reduced using
Inferior Turbinate Surgery. The vascular tissue lying beneath the surface
is coagulated for this enlarging ability reduction procedure.
Inferior
Turbinate Surgery Procedures
The inferior turbinate surgery has different procedures to reduce the
size of the inferior turbinate. Depending upon the patient and the nasal
problem, the appropriate surgery procedure should be used. Overview on
different Inferior Turbinate Surgery procedures is given below:
• Partial Turbinate Resection: In this surgical procedure, an exact
amount of bottom tissue portion is cut off directly using micro-debriders
and special scissors. If less bottom tissue portion is removed, then the
tissue will increase. If excess of bottom tissue portion is removed, then
paradoxical airway obstruction and problems in crusting and drying might
occur. Hence the surgeon should have expertise to decide on the actual
portion of bottom tissue that has to be removed.
• Submucous Resection: In Submucous Resection surgical procedure,
an incision is made through the mucous membrane and the enlarged bone
below the mucous membrane is removed.
• Plasma Generator Turbinate Reduction: In Plasma Generator Turbinate
Reduction Surgical Procedure, a small probe is passed under the inferior
turbinate surface in such a way that the electrode at the tip of the wire
reacts with the electrolytes in the tissues to form sodium ion plasma
in conjunction with special frequency and electricity voltage. This sodium
ion formed coagulates vessels and the unwanted tissues are vaporized and
thus reduced.
• Fracturing the Turbinate Outward Procedure: In this procedure,
the free space under the inferior turbinate named inferior meatus is fractured.
It results in lateral displacement and it is moved to a location out of
the airway which makes the patient to breathe in ease.
In certain
cases, combination of above procedures is used to perform Inferior Turbinate
Surgery in order to correct the overactive or enlarged inferior turbinate.
