title: A prospective study using rhinomanometry and patient clinical satisfaction to determine if objective measurements of nasal airway resistance can improve the quality of septoplasty.
abstract: In the ENT Department of University Central Hospital, Turku, the waiting list for elective septoplasty grew to 4 to 5 years in the late 1980s. Therefore, a prospective clinical project was initiated during which all patients waiting for septal surgery were re-examined and nasal airway function was measured with rhinomanometry. Patients with high nasal resistance or other specific indications for nasal obstruction were selected for surgery (n = 432). The remaining patients were excluded from surgery and followed up (n = 284). Results showed that if patients were referred for septal surgery without rhinomanometric study, about 10% became symptom-free within 3 to 5 years. Patients operated on after defining a high preoperative intranasal resistance had a higher postoperative satisfaction level (85%) than those operated on with normal nasal resistances but other indications for correcting the nasal septum (69%). After 3 years, the majority of patients not treated surgically were satisfied with their conservative treatments, although certain patients still required some form of nasal surgery to relieve recurring nasal and/or sinus complaints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Central Hospital of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sipilä
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suonpää
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*