title: Nasal septum buttons: symptom scores and satisfaction.
abstract: Patients with symptomatic septal perforations require treatment, with many surgeons advocating primary treatment with an obturator if conservative measures fail. Twenty nasal Button Outcome Questionnaires were sent to patients who had undergone insertion of a septal button between 1990 and 2000 in our unit. Fourteen questinnaires were returned. This study reveals that despite a reduction in symptom score in nine patients, septal buttons are poorly tolerated by patients with only 45 per cent of obturators ultimately being in situ. In view of these findings, patients are now offered a choice between primary surgical and mechanical closure in our unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester, UK. david.luff@virgin.net
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Luff
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kam
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Willatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000523:psychology*; D016156:Respiratory Tract Fistula / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome