Temperature-Controlled Radiofrequency for Severe Nasal Airway Obstruction: A Non-Inferiority Comparison With Surgical Intervention.
Greg Davis, Zeeshan Aziz, Jose Barrera et al.
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In 30 seconds
This prospective, open-label, multicentre non-inferiority trial compared temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TCRF) with septoplasty plus turbinate reduction (ST) or functional rhinoplasty (FR) in adults with nasal airway obstruction and nasal valve dysfunction. Among 174 treated patients, the 3-month responder rate was 90.5% with TCRF, meeting the prespecified non-inferiority criterion versus ST (94.3%) and FR (95.7%). TCRF was also associated with shorter median time to return to work or regular activities and fewer adverse events than the combined surgical arms.
Key findings
- At 3 months, responder rates were 90.5% for TCRF, 94.3% for ST, and 95.7% for FR; TCRF met the non-inferiority criterion versus both procedures.
- Median return to work or regular activities was 1 day with TCRF, compared with 5.5 days after ST and 7.5 days after FR.
- Adverse events occurred in 6.9% of TCRF patients and 19.0% of patients in the combined surgical arms.
Why it matters
For adults with substantial nasal obstruction and nasal valve dysfunction, the findings suggest that a minimally invasive procedure may achieve short-term symptom response comparable to two surgical approaches, while being associated with quicker return to usual activities and fewer adverse events. These outcomes help frame the trade-offs between procedural options, although the comparison does not establish long-term equivalence.
What to keep in mind
The trial was open-label, and the comparison used inverse probability of treatment weighting to simulate randomization rather than direct random assignment. Outcomes reported here are limited to 3 months.