Between 1994 and 1998, we treated 48 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis refractory with conservative therapy by vaporizing the inferior turbinates once for all using a CO2 laser at Kyoto University Hospital. We conducted a questionnaire survey of these patients to determine the long-term effects of CO2 laser vaporization. Of the subjects, 27 patients responded to the questionnaire. The severity of nasal symptoms was rated on a scale of 4 (0-4 points) and the response to treatment by nasal symptom was evaluated according to the improvement of scores. The rates of improvement in nasal obstruction, nasal discharge and sneezing were 56%, 41% and 33%, respectively when reduction of score by more than one point was regarded as effective. To evaluate their long-term prognosis, the subjects were divided into the following two groups according to the period between surgery and questionnairing: patients who underwent surgery during the past three years (short-term group, n=15) and patients who underwent surgery more than three years ago (long-term group, n=12). Regarding improvement in scores for individual nasal symptoms, the two groups showed no significant difference. Although the rates of improvement for individual nasal symptoms were as low as approximately 50%, prolonged therapeutic effects could be expected when treatment was effective.
