Turbinate Reduction

Turbinates are the organs of our nose that allow our nose to do its job of humidification, air purification, and warming of the air we inhale.  Some people have large inferior turbinates that obstruct nasal airflow.  Sometimes, conditions such as nasal allergies can cause enlargement of inferior turbinates.  And patients who use CPAP therapy to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea can develop large reactive inferior turbinates that make it difficult for those patients to use nasal masks with their CPAP device.  When indicated and performed properly, turbinate reduction is a very effective procedure with safe and predictable outcomes.

Turbinate reduction is a general term for any procedure that reduces the size of the inferior turbinates.  There are several methods that are available to reduce the size of the turbinate.  Some methods involve the application of temperature-controlled heat into the interior of the turbinate, electrocautery, and cold dissection followed with cautery. 

I do not believe in cauterizing, burning, or cooking inferior turbinates as a means to reduce its size as that invariably leads to scarring and unpredictable outcomes.  This is why our turbinate reductions are done solely with cold dissection techniques, without the use of heat probes or extensive cauterization.  We also do not employ nasal tampons or nasal packing to control post-operative bleeding.  This provides our patients with a painless, quick recovery with excellent, predictable outcomes.

We have successfully performed thousands of these procedures, helping resolve our patients nasal congestion!