Abstract
A new surgical method was employed in twelve patients with perennial nasal allergies. This surgery was performed under local anesthesia. The submucosal resection of the inferior turbinate bone was performed to improve nasal passages, followed by electrocoagulation of the lamina propria of the inferior turbinate to decrease allergic reactions. The sneezing, watery nasal discharge, and nasal obstruction were improved in over 80% of the patients. A thin crust on the inferior turbinate was seen for only two or three weeks after surgery. This surgery resulted in the suppression of allergic reactions to the intranasal antigen challenge. The eosinophil counts in the nasal smears decreased. The histological examination of the inferior turbinate mucosa showed not only the squamous metaplasia of the epithelial lining, fibrosis and a reduction of edema in the lamina propria, but also the significant decrease in number of the mast cells and eosinophils after surgery. Furthermore, the histamine level in the nasal lavage decreased significantly after surgery. This surgery is apparently a effective treatment modality for patients with perennial nasal allergies.
