Chronic inferior turbinate enlargement and the implications for surgical intervention.

Nasal obstruction due to chronic enlargement of the inferior turbinate is a common problem for the ENT surgeon. This review will discuss the pathology of 'bilateral' and 'unilateral' turbinate enlargement associated with chronic rhinitis and nasal septal deviation, and focus on the structural changes in the turbinates. Cellular hyperplasia, tissue oedema and vascular congestion all contribute to turbinate enlargement, but there is some evidence that bony enlargement is associated with unilateral turbinate enlargement. There is no evidence for cellular hypertrophy despite the common use of the term 'turbinate hypertrophy' and this term should be replaced with the more correct term of 'turbinate enlargement'. The underlying pathology of turbinate enlargement has important implications for the surgical management of nasal obstruction.