Aesthetic outcome of transfacial sinus surgery: the patient's view.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the patient's view of the cosmetic outcome of transfacial sinus surgery.


METHODS
Prospective survey of patients after transfacial sinus surgery in a tertiary referral academic otolaryngology department.


METHODS
Academic outpatient clinic of otorhinolaryngology. Patients Seventy patients (52 men, 18 women; mean +/- SD age, 56.2 +/- 14.9 years) who had undergone transfacial sinus surgery more than 4 months prior to study entry.


METHODS
Standardized patient self-assessment for postoperative alteration of facial appearance and emotional impairment and standardized observer assessment by surgeons and laypersons by means of visual analogue scales.


RESULTS
Seventy-nine percent of the patients rated their appearance unaltered or minimally altered after transfacial surgery, and 91% reported no or minimal cosmetic morbidity. Postoperative cosmetic morbidity was significantly more common in women, in patients with chronic disease, and in those operated on for trauma. The surgeons' assessment was significantly correlated with the patients' self-assessment of altered appearance, but not with the patients' emotional impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
Consideration of these risk factors may help to further improve patient selection for, and patients' satisfaction with, transfacial sinus surgery.
Alberty
Juergen
J
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. alberty.hno@uni-muenster.de
Hermann
Wolfgang
W
Mueller
Christoph
C
Rudack
Claudia
C
Stoll
Wolfgang
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004954:Esthetics; D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010781:Photography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012647:Self-Assessment