1. Introduction
Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy (ITH) is one of the most common causes of nasal obstruction after nasal deviation, which includes mucosal, submucosal, and bone hypertrophy. There are various types of medications and operations for the treatment of ITH and can be performed depending on the availability of the equipment, budget, complications, and skill of the surgeon. One of the primary treatment methods is radiofrequency. However, it is an expensive procedure, and its equipment is not available everywhere. Thus, the researchers try to find and replace it with cost-effective and convenient methods. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of SubMucosal Resection (SMR) with the electrocautery method in the treatment of ITH.
2. Materials and Methods
In this study, 140 patients with ITH who complained of nasal congestion and rhinorrhea were selected for the study. Their nasal obstruction was evident, according to rhinoscopy. Also, they had not responded to drug therapy, such as oral or topical corticosteroids, antihistamines, and other conservative methods. Thus, they were candidates for surgery. In the next step, they were divided into two groups of 70 patients by simple random method. In the first group, after induction of anesthesia, SMR was performed, and the hypertrophic tissue was removed by incision method. In the second group, monopolar cauterization was performed in anterior, medial, and posterior areas of inferior turbinate after induction of anesthesia. Then, during the first week and later in the first, third, and sixth months after surgery the information on nasal congestion, Post-Nasal Drip (PND), rhinorrhea, snoring, headache, sneezing, itchy throat, hyposmia, anosmia, nose bleeding, crust, and severity of these symptoms was recorded in a questionnaire.


3. Results
Tables 1, 2 and 3 presents the prevalence of headache, rhinorrhea, and nose bleeding in the two groups.

4. Discussion 
The results of this study showed that patients’ complaints of headache, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, nose bleeding, itching, sneezing, and crust in both groups were different at different time intervals after surgery. However, since the electrocautery method had less bleeding and took less surgical time, had available primary equipment and caused relatively reduced PND and rhinorrhea, this method seems to have a relative advantage over the SMR method. Thus, if the patient has isolated submucosal and mucosal hypertrophy of inferior turbinate (bone of the inferior turbinate is not involved), it could be recommended as the preferred method.
Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: 91.133.3). All ethical principles were met in this study. The participants were informed about the research objective and method. They were also assured of the confidentiality of their information and were allowed to leave the study at any time, and if desired, the results of the research would be available to them. 
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Conflicts of interest
The author declares no conflict of interest.

References