Abstract
Middle turbinate squeeze syndrome (MTSS) refers to sino-nasal headache due to intense contact between the middle turbinate and the nasal septum and/or between middle turbinate and other structures in the lateral nasal wall. This study was intended to evaluate the efficacy of precise endoscopic surgical treatment of MTSS. This is a prospective study of 126 patients with refractory cephalgia due to endoscopically confirmed MTSS who underwent functional endoscopic naso-sinus surgery (FENS) wherein the contact points and ostio-meatal complex obstruction were endoscopically relieved. 91% of cases reported improvement/resolution of headache and 95% of cases had relieved contact points as documented endoscopically. This surgery was also found to facilitate resolution of sinus disease, both radiologically (in 64% of cases) and endoscopically (in 94% of cases). Cephalgia caused by MTSS can be effectively treated by an ultra-conservative endoscopic approach.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Friedman WH, Rosenblum (1989) Paranasal sinus etiology of headaches and facial pain. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 22(6):1217–1228
Williams HL (1954) Somatic head pain from the standpoint of the rhinologist, otologist and laryngologist. Lancet 74:22–26
Ryan RE, Ryan RE Jr (1979) Headache of nasal origin. Headache 19:173–179
Morgenstein KM, Krieger MK (1980) Experiences in middle turbinectomy. Laryngoscope 90:1596–1603
Trevino RJ, Gordon BR (1993) Allergic rhinosinusitis: The total rhinologic disease. ENT Journal 72(2):116–129
Greenfield H (1986) Headaches associated with nasal and sinus. J Laryngol Otol 100:165–170
Stammberger H, Wolf G (1988) Headaches and sinus disease: The endoscopic approach. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 97(Suppl 134):3–23
El-Silimy O (1995) The place of endonasal endoscopy in the relief of middle turbinate sinonasal headache syndrome. Rhinology 33(4):244–245
Nayak DR, Balakrishnan R, Murthy KD (1998) An endoscopic approach to the deviated nasal septum—a preliminary study. J Laryngol Otol 112:934–939
Nayak DR, Balakrishnan R, Murty KD (2001) Endoscopic physiologic approach to allergy-associated chronic rhinosinusitis: A preliminary study. Ear Nose Throat J 80(6):390–403
Nayak DR, Balakrishnan R, Deepak Murty K, Hazarika P (2002) Endoscopic septoturbinoplasty: our update series. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surgery 54(1):20–24
Nayak DR, Balakrishnan R, Murty KD (1995) Septal splint with wax plates. J Postgrad Med 41(3):70–71
Nayak DR, Balakrishnan R, Hazarika P (1998) Prevention and management of synechia in pediatric endoscopic sinus surgery using dental wax plate. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 46:171–178
Shih C, Chin G, Rice DH (2003) Middle turbinate resection: impact on outcomes in endoscopic sinus surgery. Ear Nose Throat J 82(10):796–797
Kunachak S (2002) Middle turbinate lateralization—a simple treatment for rhinologic headache. Laryngoscope 112(5):870–872
Ramadan HH (1999) Nonsurgical versus endoscopic sinonasal surgery for rhinogenic headache. Am J Rhinol 13(6):455–457
Giacomini PG, Allessandrini M, DePadova A (2003) Septoturbinal surgery in contact point headache syndrome: long-term results. Cranio 21(2):130–135
Goldsmith AJ, Zahtz GD, Stegnjajic A, Shikowitz M (1993) Middle turbinate headache syndrome. Am J Rhinol 7(1):17–23
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nayak, D.R., Ramaswamy, B. Endoscopic Approach to Middle Turbinate Squeeze Syndrome. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 64, 167–171 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0245-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0245-3