Nasal turbinates are small structures inside your nose that help moisten and warm the air
you breathe in.
Turbinates look a little bit like hot dog cut in half!
On the inside, turbinates are made up of bone from the upper jaw surrounded by nasal mucosal
lining.
Sometimes, turbinates can become swollen, a condition called Turbinate Hypertrophy or
enlargement.
Common causes of turbinate hypertrophy are Allergic rhinitis—what we call seasonal
allergies or hayfever—and non-allergic rhinitis, which is similar to hayfever but without the
allergic reaction.
Enlarged turbinates can cause symptoms like congested nasal breathing, runny nose, and
trouble sleeping.
Your doctor can diagnose turbinate hypertrophy with a physical exam and will typically prescribe
a non-surgical treatment first--like a nasal steroid spray, oral antihistamine, or nasal
antihistamine--to reduce the swelling.
Allergy shots may also help for seasonal allergies.
When medication alone does not reduce the swelling, surgery may be necessary.
The surgery to shrink enlarged turbinates is called an Inferior Turbinate Reduction
or Turbinoplasty.
The surgery happens in an operating room.
First, you will be given general anesthesia, a medication that makes you sleep and keeps
you from remembering or feeling any pain during the operation.
There are three techniques used for turbinate reduction, and the one used will be determined
by your surgeon based on your anatomy.
The first type of procedure, a radiofrequency turbinoplasty, is a minimally invasive surgery—meaning
there is no incision needed.
A wand is inserted into the nose to a marker point on the device.
Once inserted, the wand uses radiofrequency at low temperatures to ablate—or shrink—part
of the swollen turbinate.
This is repeated at different areas until the turbinate gets smaller.
The remaining turbinate is then pushed to the side.
The second type of procedure is a turbinoplasty with microdebrider.
A microdebrider is a surgical tool that uses a small burr, suction, and saline to shave
down the turbinate using multiple passes.
After the turbinate is shaved down, the remaining portion is then pushed to the side.
The third type of procedure is a Partial inferior turbinectomy, and is used in cases where other
procedures have not achieved the desired goal.
For this technique, the lower third of the enlarged turbinate is cut with a surgical
instrument and removed.
The procedure is often repeated on the other side.
All three of these techniques create a larger passageway for air to go through when you
breathe through your nose.
Turbinoplasty is usually performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same
day.
Expect some crusting or drainage in the days following surgery, but if you experience significant
bleeding, call the ENT nurse line.
Most patients recover within two weeks.
After an inferior turbinate reduction, you should be able to breathe easier through your
nose.
Call us at the Children’s Hospital Colorado Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat to schedule
an appointment with one of our providers.