What is Radiofrequency?
Radiofrequency is a technology that has found increasing use in medicine in recent years. In this method, radio waves at specific frequencies are delivered into the tissue via electrodes.
These radio waves cause a controlled, localized increase in temperature within the tissue. This leads to shrinkage and hardening of the tissue without causing any damage to the mucosa of the treated area. Consequently, a reduction in volume occurs in the treated tissue.
Conchae are structures found on both sides of the nose. The most commonly encountered clinical condition is concha hypertrophy (enlargement), which almost always occurs in the lower concha. This enlargement in the lower concha is often soft tissue-related but can also involve bone growth or enlargement of both structures.
Lower concha hypertrophy is one of the major causes of chronic nasal obstruction. If medical treatment fails to alleviate concha hypertrophy, surgical treatment should be considered. Treatment of lower concha swelling with radiofrequency (RF) has become increasingly common in recent years due to its successful outcomes and low complication rates.
When is Radiofrequency used in ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) Medicine?
It is applied in patients, particularly those where concha hypertrophy obstructs breathing.
It can be used in patients with snoring and mild sleep apnea, who have sagging and thickening of the soft palate and uvula; rarely, it can also be used in patients with swelling at the base of the tongue.
The heat generated in the tissue by radiofrequency energy also leads to a decrease in the number of secretory cells located under the mucosa. This reduces excessive nasal discharge in patients with allergic rhinitis, for example.
Can Radiofrequency treatment be repeated?
Radiofrequency treatment, which is highly safe and comfortable in the treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy that affects quality of life, has a success rate of around 80% in a single