Local Application of 20% Silver Nitrate (AgNo3) for the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis.

Abstract

Allergic Rhinitis is a very prevalent disease. There are various methods for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. In our study of 100 patients of allergic rhinitis, we applied 20 percent Silver Nitrate cautery on the anterior end of both the inferior turbinates and adjacent area of the nasal septum 1cm sq at each side. In this method, we actually cauterized the “TRIGGER AREA”. This area is very sensitive and excitable, stimulation of which may leads to an acute attack of allergic rhinitis. Cautery of the “TRIGGER AREA” with 20 percent Silver Nitrate reduces the sensitivity and excitability of this area and thus relief is obtained. We selected 100 patients of allergic rhinitis and divided them into male and female groups. The patient’s age ranged from 16 to 50 years. There were also two children of age 10 and 12 years. The disease was having female predominance. We selected only those cases who had sneezing, rhinorrhoea, post nasal drip and nasal obstruction as presenting symptoms. Each patient was assessed by history, examination and available investigations. Investigations like skin tests, nasal provocation tests, Plasma radio immunosorbent test (PRIST), Plasma radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) and pulmonary function tests were not performed because facility for these tests were not available at our center and most of the patients could not afford it. It is an outdoor procedure. In each patient we did four applications at 1 week interval after anaesthetizing the area with topical 4 percent xylocaine solution. After completing the study on 100 patients, we found out that success rate was 94 percent, 85 patients out of 100 got good relief, 09 patient got fair relief and 6 patients did not report back. So we concluded that treatment is easy and effective in relieving symptoms. It can be easily repeated if symptoms recur and side effects are negligible, as compared to other procedures.