A Systematic Review Comparing the Effectiveness of Cryotherapy and Radiofrequency Ablation in the Treatment of Chronic Rhinitis

Abstract

Background: Various minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of chronic rhinitis focus on the ablation of the posterior nasal nerve. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of cryotherapy and radiofrequency ablation in reducing symptoms of allergic and nonallergic rhinitis. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review focused exclusively on full-text articles published in English between 2014 and 2024. Result: The study conducted a comprehensive review of almost 20 publications sourced from reputable databases, including ScienceDirect, SagePub, and PubMed. Following an initial screening, five publications were identified as warranting more in-depth analysis. Consequently, a thorough review of these selected studies was performed to ensure a detailed and rigorous evaluation. Conclusion: Both cryotherapy and radiofrequency ablation significantly improve subjective symptom scores and quality of life in patients with chronic rhinitis. However, radiofrequency ablation appears to be more effective in alleviating nasal symptoms, particularly in patients with nonallergic rhinitis. Further randomized controlled trials directly comparing these two techniques are necessary to confirm these findings.