Cheryl S. Cotter, MD, is Vice-Chairman in the Department of Surgery at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, FL. She completed medical school with High Honors at the University of Florida and remained there in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery for her residency in otolaryngology.
Explore this issue:
November 2007Cheryl S. Cotter, MD, shares her perspective regarding a more conservative approach to the treatment of pediatric chronic sinusitis.
There are few data to support primary surgical reduction of the inferior turbinates in the pediatric patient. Most patients with chronic sinusitis and allergic rhinitis respond well to medical therapy, and few have persistent nasal obstruction secondary to enlarged inferior turbinates. Some pediatric otolaryngologists perform inferior turbinate reduction concurrent with adenoidectomy. In my experience, however, most patients show marked improvement in nasal airflow with removal of the adenoids alone, even in the context of enlarged turbinates protruding into the posterior choanae or the anterior nasal cavity.