title: A new approach to objective evaluation of the success of nasal septum perforation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perforations in the nasal septum (NSP) give rise not only to disintegration of the septum anatomy but also impairment in normal nasal physiology. The successes of these surgical techniques are usually equated to anatomical closure of the perforation. The goal of this study is to evaluate the subjective and objective results of our surgical technique for septal perforation surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  All NSPs in the six patients were closed by inferior turbinate flap. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) instrument was used to evaluate the preoperative and postoperative subjective sensation of nasal obstruction. Measurement of preoperative and postoperative nasal airway resistance was performed using active anterior rhinomanometry which is an objective test. Wilcoxson signed rank test and Spearman correlation test were used to analyze correlation between NOSE scores and rhinomanometric measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The full closure of the septal perforations was noted in 100% of patients. The total NOSE score was 14 preoperatively and one postoperatively. The improvement in NOSE scores was statistically significant (P≤0.002). The mean preoperative total resistance (ResT150) value was 0.13 Pa/cm(3)s(-1), which is below the normal range (0.16-0.31 Pa/cm(3)s(-1)), while the mean postoperative ResT150 value was 0.27 Pa/cm(3)s(-1). The correlation between the improvement in NOSE scores and improvements in ResT150 values was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical approaches should aim to solve both the anatomical and physiological problems of NSP. The application of subjective and objective tests in the postoperative period will help surgeons assess the applied techniques.
authors: Deperatment of Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Sinan
authors: S
authors: Ozturk
authors: Deperatment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Fatih
authors: F
authors: Zor
authors: Deperatment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Serdar
authors: S
authors: Ozturk
authors: Deperatment of Allergy, Gulhane Military Medicine Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ozgur
authors: O
authors: Kartal
authors: Deperatment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Dogan
authors: D
authors: Alhan
authors: Deperatment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Selcuk
authors: S
authors: Isik
keywords: Nasal; Perforation; Rhinomanometry; Surgery