A patient- and observer-rated analysis of the impact of lateral rhinotomy on facial aesthetics.
OBJECTIVE
To determine, using patient- and observer-rated facial disfigurement measures, whether a lateral rhinotomy imparts significant aesthetic morbidity.


METHODS
Retrospective and subject-controlled study in a large, tertiary-referral, academic otolaryngology department. Twenty-one consecutive patients who had undergone lateral rhinotomy for the treatment of inverted papilloma were studied in the long-term.


METHODS
Scores on the following: (1) the novel Patient-Rated Facial Disfigurement Analogue Scale questionnaire and (2) the reliable and validated Observer-Rated Facial Disfigurement 9-Point Likert Scale.


RESULTS
Patients rated their facial appearance as minimally altered and significantly less apparent to others. The observers in this study, a surgeon (J.C.I.) and a psychiatrist (M.R.K.), rated the patients' facial disfigurement as minimally visible. Patients seem to rate how apparent their appearance is to others in a similar fashion to observers. The observer-rated facial disfigurement scale used is valid and reliable.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient- and observer-rated facial disfigurement measures suggest that a lateral rhinotomy does not impart significant aesthetic morbidity.
Lueg
E A
EA
Head & Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction, Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Los Angeles Medical Center, 4900 Sunset Blvd, Bldg M, Floor 6, CA 90027, USA. edgar.a.lueg@kp.org
Irish
J C
JC
Katz
M R
MR
Brown
D H
DH
Gullane
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004954:Esthetics; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000601:surgery*; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D018308:Papilloma, Inverted / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept