Evaluation and Management of Pediatric Nasal Obstruction: A Survey of Practice Patterns

Abstract

Background Inferior turbinate (IT) hypertrophy and adenoid hypertrophy are both causes of pediatric nasal obstruction. Objective The purpose of this survey was to study nasal obstruction evaluation and management among pediatric otolaryngologists with respect to IT and adenoid hypertrophy. Methods A questionnaire with embedded clinical videos was sent electronically to American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology members. Results A total of 435 questionnaires were sent, and 75 were completed. Respondents were presented with scenarios that involved a 7-year-old child with nasal obstruction unresponsive to medical therapy, and the respondents were asked to choose a surgical plan, either IT reduction, adenoidectomy, or combined IT reduction and adenoidectomy. Three questions described the extent of IT and adenoid obstruction in text form, although three questions included a video of the child's nasal endoscopy. In questions with perceived or stated IT hypertrophy, the respondents chose to perform IT reduction significantly more frequently when the perceived or stated adenoid hypertrophy was less severe (p < 0.0001 for video and p = 0.039 for written questions). Conclusion The decision to perform IT reduction in children is inversely related to the extent of adenoid hypertrophy. Future studies on pediatric IT surgery should include objective descriptions of the IT and adenoid in study subjects.