ABSTRACT
A variety of surgical techniques are available to reduce the turbinates (9). We divide turbinate reduction procedures into those that can be performed routinely in an office procedure room and those better performed in the operating room usually with septoplasty, septorhinoplasty, rhinoplasty, or endoscopic sinus surgery. Turbinate reduction surgery is regularly combined with palate and/or tongue surgery in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. In the clinic, we prefer the use of submucosal radiofrequency (RF) reduction of the anterior one-third to one-half of the inferior turbinate. This procedure, shown in Fig. 4, uses a needle electrode and temperature and power controlled RF energy (10-12). It can also be used in the operating room with palate and tongue surgery since it does not produce significant swelling and nasal packing is not required. This allows the use of nasal CPAP in the postoperative period, if indicated.
