Abstract:
The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) continues to rise, severely impairing patients’ quality of life and causing enormous social and economic burdens. For refractory AR that cannot be adequately controlled by standardized firstline therapies, neurotomy has become an important secondline therapeutic option. However, due to various remaining controversial issues, there is currently a lack of internationally unified clinical guidelines, which restricts its clinical application and generalization. To better guide the clinical practice of neurotomy for AR in China, 49 experts in the field of rhinology and allergy nationwide, led by the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, carried out the work of formulating a consensus. Using the Delphi method, we focused on seven dimensions: the purpose and significance of neurotomy for AR, relevant applied anatomy, pathophysiological basis, surgical indications and contraindications, surgical techniques, efficacy and evaluation criteria, and surgical complications and their management, ultimately generating a series of core viewpoints. This consensus is expected to further promote the standardized development of neurotomy for AR in China, and help improve the overall prevention and management of AR.