Turbinate Surgery

Turbinate Surgery – Nose Flesh Surgery

In the nasal cavities, where each of the nostrils opens, the nasal flesh, called the turbinate, is located. Nasal gums are located in the upper, middle, and lower parts of the nose, three pieces each.

The sizes of the turbinates are not constant, and the temperature and humidity of the air vary depending on many factors, such as body activities, body position, and hormonal changes.

Usually, during the day, the size of the turbinates in the right and left nasal cavities decays a few hours apart; for example, when the turbinates on the right side grow, those on the left become smaller or vice versa.

Their task is to regulate the intranasal airflow, ensuring the heating, humidification, filtration, and transmission of the air drawn into the lungs. Turbinates consist of soft tissue and bone swell when the weather is cold, allowing blood to fill the vessels inside and allowing the air taken from the nose to become ready for breathing.

It causes the nasal flesh called turbinate to grow and block the nasal passage, causing a health problem called nasal flesh growth or turbinate hypertrophy.

What is Turbinate Hypertrophy?

Mostly in the lower turbinate, continuous growth can be observed in the turbinates to the degree that prevents breathing. In this condition, called turbinate hypertrophy, nasal congestion occurs, especially when exercising and sleeping. If there is also a deviation of the septum accompanying turbinate hypertrophy, the complaint of nasal congestion is even more pronounced.

The most common cause of turbinate hypertrophy is allergies. Other causes include chronic sinusitis, tobacco use or passive smoking, inhalation of chemical gasses, air pollution, and prolonged use of nasal decongestant sprays and drops.

Turbinate hypertrophy most often shows growth due to allergic rhinitis. When this growth becomes irreversible, it manifests itself with symptoms such as nasal congestion, snoring at night, and difficulty breathing through the nose. In this type of irreversible growth, it is necessary to surgically reduce the turbinate by intervening.

What are the Causes of Nasal Flesh-Turbinate Growth?

Sometimes, the middle and lower parts of the nasal flesh grow more than necessary. The growth of nasal meatus is often observed during pregnancy, allergic reactions, and nasal bone curvature. Some medications, environmental factors, and some infections lead to growth in the flesh of the nose.

The most common cause of hypertrophy of the turbinate is allergic reactions. This allergy can be against pollen, house dust, mites, animal hair, or a different agent. Other factors that cause the formation of turbinate hypertrophy are chronic sinusitis, the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products, exposure to polluted air and cigarette smoke, and prolonged use of nasal drops and sprays.

• Medications: Prolonged use of nasal openers used to open nasal congestion in diseases such as flu and colds leads to dryness and growth of the turbinates.
• Infections: Nasal flesh grows due to the recurrence of upper respiratory tract infections such as viral infections and sinusitis.
• Environmental Factors: Smoking and standing in polluted environments for a long time leads to the growth of turbinates.
• Allergic Reactions: When people with allergies breathe air containing dust, pollen, mold, and house dust, the flesh of the nose swells and remains swollen for a long time. Repeated allergic reactions lead to the growth of turbinates after a while.

What are the Symptoms of Nasal Flesh – Turbinate Growth?

The most common symptom of nasal flesh growth is nasal congestion. The person has difficulty breathing deeply. At night, he breathes through his mouth to increase oxygen intake during sleep, nasal congestion also leads to snoring. Signs of nasal flesh growth are:

• Runny nose,
• Mild facial pain,
• Pressure in the forehead area,
• It is a change in the sense of smell.

What Complaints Does the Growth of Nasal Flesh Cause?

Turbinate hypertrophy basically causes nasal congestion. The most common complaint of patients with nasal flesh enlargement is nasal congestion. Nasal congestion can be continuous, as well as it can increase even more at night. It can also cause a feeling of nasal congestion when doing sports, doing activities such as fast walking and climbing stairs, or lying down.

Patients with nasal flesh enlargement may usually sleep with their mouths open at night, and snoring may be observed. Complaints may increase or become more pronounced due to reasons such as upper respiratory tract infections, allergies, dry air, and cold air.

The growth of nasal flesh can make the individual more prone to nose, sinus, nasal, and throat infections and can lead to recurrent nosebleeds.

How is Turbinate Hypertrophy Diagnosed?

In patients with symptoms of nasal flesh growth, an examination is performed with the help of illuminated endoscopes, which allow the inner part of the nose to be easily seen. It is investigated whether there is hypertrophy in the turbinate, and if there is turbinate growth, the treatment process is easily diagnosed and started.

How is Nasal Flesh Growth Treated?

When planning treatment for nasal flesh growth, treatment options such as lifestyle changes and medication applications should be tried by evaluating the factors that cause turbinate growth first.

In allergic turbinate hypertrophy, some nasal sprays and allergy medications should be applied first. If there is no response to the drug, a radio frequency application can be selected.

The main goal of the treatment is to shrink the nasal flesh without causing damage that will prevent the turbinate from being able to perform its duties in the nose.

One of the methods is surgery to remove the flesh of the nose; that is, the flesh of the nose is completely cut and removed. After this method, since the humidification and filtration of the inhaled air will be insufficient, the complete removal process is only performed if necessary.

If there are no problems in the nasal bone, the reduction of the nasal flesh is resorted to. The latest technological product developed for this purpose is laser nose flesh surgery. The result can be obtained in one session. Nose flesh reduction surgery is aimed at preserving the structure of the turbinate surface to a large extent.

What Techniques Are Used in Nasal Flesh (Turbinate) Surgeries?

• Reduction of the nasal flesh under the influence of heat (cauterization or laser),
• Removal of all or part of the nasal flesh by cutting.
• Reduction of the nasal flesh bone or pushing it sideways by breaking it,
• The use of microdebriders for the reduction of the internal soft tissues of the nasal flesh,
• Reduction of the flesh of the nose with radiofrequency waves,

Nose flesh surgery usually takes 15 or 20 minutes. But if procedures such as nose correction or aesthetics are to be performed, it can continue for up to 2 hours.

What is the Konka Radiofrequency Application? How is it done?

Turbinate radiofrequency applications, which have started to be used frequently in recent years with the developing medical technology, are one of the treatment options with a very high success rate in treating nasal flesh growth.

With the application of turbinate radiofrequency, the reduction process is performed in the part of the turbinate that is rich in blood vessels located on the inside, without touching the surface part of the turbinate that performs its functions in the nose.

With the help of a needle, which is part of a radiofrequency device, it is inserted into the flesh of the nose; the turbinate is reduced together with the given radio waves. It is an office procedure performed under local anesthesia and takes about 10 minutes. Due to the very short recovery time, it is one of the most preferred treatment methods today.

Usually, during the healing process, there are no long-term side effects such as pain, changes in physical size, and loss of smell perception. The patient should know that there will be crusting in the nose for about three weeks.

It is recommended to wash the nose often with saline and use antibiotic ointment during this period. Although rare, there may be a risk of bleeding and infection which should be taken into account.

What Happens After Nose Flesh Surgery?

Patients are slowly lifted to their feet after resting for 4 hours after surgery. There are usually no restrictions on movement, but a headache may develop when looking at the floor. Therefore, patients are asked to drink plenty of water.

Immediately after the operation, stitches, and tampons will be left in the nose. The patient is asked to come to regular dressing. The tampon is usually kept in the nose for three days. Physicians inform patients about stitches and healing speed.