Will a crushed concha bullosa form again?

Objectives/hypothesis: This study endoscopically and radiologically evaluated whether a surgically crushed concha bullosa (CB) can form again.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Methods: This study included 14 adults who underwent CB surgery between March 2010 and February 2011. The middle turbinate was examined endoscopically and classified pre- and postoperatively into four groups according to size. The CB volume of all patients was measured using pre- and postoperative paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT). The pre- and postoperative measurements were compared using the paired t test.

Results: This study included 22 CB in 11 men and 3 women with a mean age of 35.85 (range, 20-47) years. The mean follow-up period was 4.42 (range, 2-10) months. The middle turbinates were significantly smaller postoperatively (P < .0005), as was the CB volume measured using paranasal sinus CT (P < .0005).

Conclusions: The CB crushing technique is an easy, conservative treatment modality. As the CB does not appear to reform after crushing, this technique can be considered a definitive treatment. Nevertheless, these patients should be followed for the long term.