[Effectiveness of bipolar coagulation in treatment of post-nasal drip in patients with chronic rhinitis--preliminary report].

Post-nasal drip is a troublesome complaint resulting, among other causes, from lower turbinates mucous membrane hypertrophy due to chronic rhinitis. The therapy of choice in patients with no satisfactory reaction to pharmacological treatment is mucotomy that consists in submucous removing of the lower turbinates. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of bipolar coagulation mucotomy in patients with post-nasal drip. The procedure was performed in 28 patients aged from 22 to 60 years (mean=36.5, SD=12.6), who were questioned about the intensity of post-nasal drip prior to and after surgery, using a 0-3 points scale. Mucotomy was performed with an ERBE ICC 300 bipolar device, maximal power 40 W, under local anaesthesia with lidocaine. The patients were followed-up for 3 months. Prior to the procedure, all of them declared post-nasal drip intensity at 3 points. A month after the mucotomy, 16 individuals were asymptomatic (0 points) and two groups of 6 patients described their complains at 1 and 2 points each (the difference was statistically significant at p<0.001). 3 months after surgery the intensity of complaints did not differ from that observed 1 month after the operation. Mucotomy performed with a bipolar coagulation is an easy, effective, painless procedure performed under local anaesthesia on an ambulatory basis. It does not require expensive surgical equipment. There is no risk of bleeding, pain or other complications. Mucotomy can be carried out accurately under direct vision.