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Erdal Seren, MD

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2009;135(10):1010-1014.

Objective  To describe a technique for internal nasal valve collapse using radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy (RFITT).

Design  Prospective study.

Setting  Academic research center.

Patients  A total of 28 patients with nasal obstruction due to inspiratory nasal valve collapse were included in this study.

Intervention  Radiofrequency-induced thermotherapy.

Main Outcome Measures  Visual analog scale score.

Results  Severity of obstruction scores improved in all patients, with the mean score improving at the left nostril from 8.2 before treatment to 3.4 after treatment and at the right nostril from 8.9 before treatment to 4.1 after treatment. The outcomes were measured using visual analog scale score before treatment and at 16 weeks after treatment. Improvement was shown in severity of obstruction (P < .001).

Conclusions  This new method appears to be safe, quick, bloodless, and painless. These good, encouraging preliminary results must be confirmed by further study and long-term follow-up.

Author Affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Giresun Devlet Hastanesi, Giresun, Turkey.

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