Is Anterior Ethmoidal Nerve Blockade Effective? And What Are Its Potential Drawbacks and Hazards?

The preoperative nerve block is effective and generally has no obvious disadvantages or hazards. However, if the operation is improperly performed, complications such as nasal cavity adhesion or preoperative artery injury may occur.

The preoperative nerve block is currently an advanced treatment for allergic rhinitis internationally. It involves the use of low-temperature plasma under endoscopic visualization to selectively sever the preoperative nerve and the pterygoid nerve, aiming to reduce the excitability of the parasympathetic nerves in the nasal cavity, improve nasal ventilation function, and treat small polyps to eliminate the occurrence of symptoms.

As the pseudomembrane sheds off about a week after the surgery, the original diseased mucosa undergoes new repair, and the healthy newly generated mucosa possesses normal defensive and barrier functions. Clinical practice has demonstrated that the surgical effectiveness rate is as high as over 95%. This surgery carries minimal risks, has a low recurrence rate, and requires a short treatment time, achieving the therapeutic goal in just a few minutes.

Most patients experience symptom relief after treatment, showing no significant symptoms under allergen testing, and the disease is completely cured within approximately one month. Clinically, the preoperative nerve block is mainly used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, also known as allergic rhinitis.

Its objective is to alleviate the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. The clinical principle is that the terminal receptors and gland secretions in the nasal cavity are innervated by the preoperative nerve, which plays a dominant role in the manifestation of allergic rhinitis symptoms.

Currently, the preoperative nerve block mostly employs minimally invasive techniques such as radiofrequency and low-temperature plasma, which are relatively safe. Generally, there are no obvious hazards or sequelae. However, if the operation is improperly performed, rare complications such as nasal cavity adhesion or preoperative artery injury may occur.