Concha bullosa: endoscopic treatment.

AIM

To assess the frequency and the endoscopic treatment of the middle turbinate pneumatization or concha bullosa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-nine patients (26 males and 23 females) with sinusitis and headache symptoms and axial and coronal computed tomographic scans of the paranasal sinuses and who had an endoscopic examination visit in the outpatient department between January 2005 and July 2007 were included in this study. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery was performed. Nasal tampons were removed 3 days after surgery, and endoscopic examination visits were performed 7, 15, 30, and 60 days after surgical treatment.

RESULTS

All the patients presented complaints of chronic nasal obstruction. Eleven patients (5 males and 6 females; 22.4%) presented either a unilateral or a bilateral middle turbinate pneumatization. The surgeons recorded the surgery and each examination visit. In remote controls (12 mo at least), the patients showed a total remission of symptoms. There were no important complications.