title: Nasal airway preservation using the autospreader technique: analysis of outcomes using a disease-specific quality-of-life instrument.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure the efficacy of a specific midvault reconstruction technique (the autospreader flap) in dorsal reductive rhinoplasty with a validated quality-of-life instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational outcomes study of patients desiring reduction of the nasal dorsum who either (1) had no breathing obstruction, who underwent purely aesthetic rhinoplasty, or (2) had concomitant severe nasal obstruction due to septal deviation, internal valve narrowing, and/or turbinate hypertrophy, who subsequently underwent combined functional and aesthetic rhinoplasty. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation was performed using the Nasal Obstruction Symptoms Evaluation (NOSE) scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-eight patients completed preoperative and postoperative evaluation. No complications occurred. Patients in the purely aesthetic group were noted to have low preoperative NOSE scores, with no change postoperatively. There was a significant improvement in mean NOSE score postoperatively for the combined functional and aesthetic group (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Midvault reconstruction using the autospreader graft may help prevent postoperative nasal obstruction due to midvault collapse. Combining this procedure with dorsal reduction in functional rhinoplasty patients with traditional airway reconstruction techniques is effective in improving nasal airway function as measured by a patient-based, disease-specific quality-of-life instrument.
authors.affiliation: Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 801 Welch Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, USA. smost@ohns.stanford.edu
authors.forename: Sirius
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sam P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Most
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D009666:Nose / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012225:Rhinoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome