Posted by Somnoplasty on June 01, 2009 at 11:19:25:I wanted to share my somnoplasty or radiofrequency turbinate reduction experience. I've had nasal congestion for about a year and a half and had tried all kinds of meds and sprays recommended by my ENT. I was also using an Afrin spray which I had heavily diluted with water at night to breathe.
My ENT said I should try having turbinate reduction since nothing else was working.
I researched this procedure as if it was open heart surgery. I was trying to locate an ENT who would perform the coblation method which was shown on TV. In doing so I was bouncing around between 3 ENT's trying to find the right way to go. I finally trusted one and he was incredible. I would say the procedure took all of 20-30 minutes and was easier than having a cavity filled.
First after the doctor explained everything to me the nurse put a wire on my back to ground me then the doctor put gauze in my nose with a topical anesthetic and left me alone for 5 minutes for that to work.
Then he put a syringe of a local anesthetic in my left turbinate and started the procedure which was a series of maybe 15 seconds 3 times with the radiofrequency instrument. Then he repeated the procedure on my right side. Your throat will get a bit numb as well as your teeth in the front but that wears off pretty quickly.During the entire time I didn't feel a thing. It was so easy.
Afterwards as the anethesia wore off I felt a little irritated and very aware of the air coming into my nose. But no pain at all.
I'm 3 days out and I am still very stuffy but it is lessening each day. He said it would take 10 days and I go back for a follow-up then. I'll report back to let you know how everything works out.
- Re: somnoplasty Barb (Seattle) 13:19 6/07/09 (1)
- Re: somnoplasty Breezely 10:47 6/09/09 (0)