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Should I Have my Inferior Turbinates - Bilateral Reduced?

asked 5 months ago by thathoustonguy in Houston, TX
Latest answer by William Portuese, MD
Question viewed 267 times
Tags: breathing problems, deviated septum, reduce, turbinate

My rhinoplasty surgeon is going to charge $2800 extra to reduce the inferior turbinates to help with breathing. I am already getting him to fix my deviated septum which is the main prob, so I'm not sure if I should take this off the 'To Do List' and save almost $3,000. This surgeon is really good, so I am going to still use him, but I'm wondering just how much reducing those will help my breathing... Seems to me this is a 'tack on' charge and I'm seriously considering having him not trim them.

12 answers to Should I Have my Inferior Turbinates - Bilateral Reduced?

+1

Is Inferior Turbinate Reduction Necessary?

Inferior turbinate reduction when doing a rhinoplasty and maintaining or improving the nasal airway is almost always beneficial because this maneuver will increase the size of the patient's airway. You can get a second opinion; however, If you trust your surgeon to do your rhinoplasty do not second guess him.
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

+3

Turbinate Resection/Reduction

If your main goal is improving your nasal breathing, then you should strongly consider having the turbinates reduced or resected. This will contribute to improving your nasal breathing.
Kimberly Lee, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+3

Rhinoplasty and enlarged turbinates

Reduction of the turbinates is a common procedure for improving the nasal airway and is very commonly done in association with a septoplasty. With a septoplasty, the septum is moved towards the good side. The turbinate usually needs to be reduced to keep the good side open. Never have the turbinate removed; it should only be reduced. The turbinates warm and humidify air. If the turbinate is removed, you will likely develop the "empty nose" syndrome.... more
David Alessi, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Inferior turbinates -bilateral reduction

The nasal obstruction can be from either a deviated septum or turbinate hypertrophy, in many instances it is caused by both. A deviated septum is often caused by trauma to the septum, causing it to become crooked such that it blocks airflow out of the nose 1 or both sides. Turbinate hypertrophy can be caused by allergies, sinus infections, inhaled dust, hormones, altitude, and air pressure changes. While there is a charge for turbinate surgery, $3,000 seems a little... more
William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattlefacial.com

+1

Inferior Turbinectomy

Airway obstruction in the nose is largely due to septal deviation and/or inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Turbinate surgery for airway obstruction is often covered by insurance. Before paying $2800 for your surgery, you may look into whether or not your health insurance covers such a procedure.
William A. Wallace, MD, FACS

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Turbinate Reduction with Septorhinoplasty

The inferior turbinates often contribute to nasal obstruction, especially if you have a deviated septum, and having them addressed as part of your nasal surgery makes sense. In our part of the country, it is reimbursed by insurance, albeit at only about one fifth of the price you were quoted! If you are paying out of pocket, this fee should be negotiated with your surgeon. Alternatively, you could defer the turbinate reduction and wait to see if you are still congested after... more
James Bartels, MD

Manchester Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Should I Have my Inferior Turbinates - Bilateral Reduced?

I have performed Rhinoplasty for over 20 years and never trim the inferior turbinates but rather place kenalog 10 submucosally along the anterior portion of the turbinate to shrink them. Hope this helps.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Turbinate surgery

Turbinate reduction is commonly done with septoplasty if airway improvement is a goal of the surgery and the turbinate membranes have not responded to medical therapy. It is something that could be done at a later stage if septal surgery alone does not help you and you are hesitant to proceed.
Michael L. Schwartz, MD

West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon

www.palmbeachface.com

+1

Turbinate resection during rhinoplasty

Turbinate resection is very effective way to relieve airway obstruction. The side effects of over-resection are devastating, including foul smelling crusts (ozema) and "empty nose syndrome". Be sure your surgeon has had a lot of experience with this procedure. Airway surgery such as turbinate resection is often covered by insurance.
Daniel Greenwald, MD

Tampa Plastic Surgeon

bayshoreplasticsurgery.com

+1

Correction of turbinates will only improve breathing problems

The turbinates function to humidify the air in the nose as you breathe. When the turbinates get large they can obstruct your breathing. In many situations it helps to either remove an enlarge turbinate or try to shrink it down. This can be done using a radiofrequency type device known as cold coblation. Your surgeon is in the best position to know if this is a necessary portion of your rhinoplasty procedure.
Jeffrey Zwiren, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Turbinate reduction is commonly done with correction of deviated septum.

Reduction of the turbinates is commonly needed to improve airway problems associated with septal deviation. It's not really an "add on" but is a necessary part of the therapy in some patients.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Should interior turbinate reduction be done

It is certainly a valid concept to reduce the size of enlarged inferior turbinates to help with nasal breathing. How much it will help depends on how enlarged they are and how much reduction is done. $2800 does seem to be higher than what most insurance companies pay for the surgery, though. If you're not sure you can always hold off on the turbinate portion of the procedure for the time being.
Thomas A Lamperti, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

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