Rhinitis

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Focused Ultrasound Therapy

Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with persistent allergic rhinitis. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasonic energy precisely and accurately on targets nose without damaging surrounding normal tissue. 

How it Works
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling persistent allergic rhinitis to be treated without surgery. This treatment has been approved in Europe and Asia. 

Advantages
The primary options for treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis include medications. Surgery may be needed if medications are ineffective.

For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications – such as surgical wound healing or infection – at a lower cost. It can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue and is repeatable, if necessary. 

Clinical Trials

At the present time, there are no clinical trials recruiting patients for focused ultrasound treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis.

Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement

Focused ultrasound treatment for rhinitis is approved in Europe and Asia. It is not yet covered by medical insurance companies.

Notable Papers

Zhong B, LiLK, Deng D, Du JT, Liu YF, Liu F, Liu SX. Effect of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Versus Plasma Radiofrequency Ablation on Recurrent Allergic Rhinitis. Med Sci Monit. 2019 Sep 9;25:6775-6781. doi: 10.12659/MSM.916228. 

Feng GF, Han ZL, Wang F, Sun BC, Dai ZY, Yang SZ, Zhou CY. Comparison of high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy under nasal endoscopy guidance versus first-line drug treatment in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis. Genet Mol Res. 2015 Aug 19;14(3):9865-71. doi: 10.4238/2015.August.19.20. 

Wei H, Shi L, Zhang J, Xia Y, Cuan J, Zhang Y, Li W, Yan A, Jiang X, Lang MF, Sun J. High-intensity focused ultrasound leads to histopathologic changes of the inferior turbinate mucosa with allergic inflammation. Ultrasound Med Biol. 2014 Oct;40(10):2425-30. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2014.05.016. Epub 2014 Aug 15. 

Wei H, Zhang Y, Shi L, Zhang J, Xia Y, Zang J, Yan A, Li W, Jiang X. Higher dosage of HIFU treatment may lead to higher and longer efficacy for moderate to severe perennial allergic rhinitis. Int J Med Sci. 2013 Nov 27;10(13):1914-20. doi: 10.7150/ijms.7117. eCollection 2013. 

Click here for additional references from PubMed.

International Approval
Clinical Trials