title: The effect on snoring of structural nasal valve dilatation with a butterfly graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect on snoring of structural nasal valve dilatation with butterfly spreader grafts in patients with nasal valve insufficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective medical chart review and telephone follow-up; mean +/- SD follow-up time, 20.7 +/- 11.34 months (range, 3-48 months).
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 37 snoring patients with nasal valve insufficiency who underwent nasal valve dilatation with a butterfly spreader graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  The conchal cartilage butterfly graft technique was performed during rhinoplasty through either an external or endonasal approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  To establish through a retrospective review that butterfly graft conchal cartilage nasal reconstruction is effective in reducing snoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After surgery, 30 patients (81%) had significant improvement in breathing, 5 (14%) had slight improvement, and 2 (5%) had no benefit in breathing. Snoring stopped completely in 11 (30%) of the patients after surgery. The improvement in snoring was significant in 13 patients (35%) and slight in 3 (8%). Twenty-six patients (70%) reported tiredness and grogginess on awakening before the surgery. Surgery significantly improved patients' tiredness and grogginess on awakening in 15 cases (58%), slightly improved them in 5 (19%), and did not change the patients' tiredness and grogginess in 6 cases (23%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conchal cartilage butterfly graft yields successful results not only in breathing but also in snoring symptoms in patients with nasal valve insufficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Facial Plastic Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, USA. takcam@gata.edu.tr
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akcam
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Ted A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012225:Rhinoplasty; D012913:Snoring / Q000209:etiology