Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Device Treatment for Nasal Valve Collapse in Patients With Nasal Obstruction.

Abstract

Internal nasal valve dysfunction is a prevalent cause of nasal obstruction. This systematic review, along with a Meta-analysis, evaluated the efficacy of temperature-controlled radiofrequency device (RFD) treatment in alleviating nasal obstruction by rectifying nasal valve collapse. A comprehensive review of studies retrieved from PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases (up to December 2022) was conducted. We included studies that evaluated the quality of life and nasal obstruction scores before and after RFD treatment. In addition, sham-controlled studies were analyzed. In total, 451 patients across 8 studies were included in the analysis. Patients who underwent RFD treatment reported a significantly enhanced quality of life 24 months after treatment compared to pretreatment scores. The rates of clinically improved states and positive responses regarding quality of life after treatment were 82% and 91%, respectively. Moreover, the disease-specific quality of life, as assessed by the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation score, significantly improved. RFD may help improve nasal obstruction symptoms. Further randomized clinical studies on larger cohorts are essential to substantiate its efficacy in enhancing nasal valve function.