title: Evaluation of changes in nasal airway in patients having undergone surgically assisted maxillary expansion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgically assisted maxillary expansion (SAME) is used to treat transverse maxillary discrepancies. The effect of this technique on the nasal airway has been the subject of a large number of studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to identify changes in the nasal airway in patients having undergone SAME.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was carried out on a sample of 10 patients having undergone SAME who agreed to participate in all phases of the study. Data acquisition involved a questionnaire, Glatzel mirror, and computed tomography measurements in both the preoperative and postoperative periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nasal width increased in all patients following SAME (mean increase: 1.29 mm). The mean opening of the intermaxillary space was 5.30 mm. The postoperative nasal airway was larger in 8 patients (80%), with a mean increase of 0.30 cm(2) (18.52%). A significant overall increase (P < 0.05) in the nasal valve angle occurred in the postoperative period. The use of the Glatzel mirror revealed a smaller area of condensation in the postoperative period in only 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nasal airway underwent a positive change following surgically assisted maxillary expansion. Moreover, the nasal valve angle is suggested as a new parameter for the analysis of this improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivson Souza
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Catunda
authors.forename: Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Antônio Figueiredo
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Caubi
authors.forename: Marcelo Fernando
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.forename: Eduardo Fernando Chaves
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Auremir Rocha
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Melo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002508:Cephalometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010155:Palatal Expansion Technique; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult