Surgical access to the internal nasal valve

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Plastic Surgery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The internal nasal valve is crucial for nasal airflow.
• Septal deviation can obstruct the nasal airway and affect valve function.
• Surgical correction often involves addressing the nasal septum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To radiographically measure nasal septum width at the internal nasal valve.
• To evaluate the suitability of open septorhinoplasty for internal nasal valve alteration.
• To compare short-term patient satisfaction between open septorhinoplasty and endonasal septoplasty.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomographic (CT) scans of 70 patients were used to measure nasal septum width.
• Chart review and patient surveys assessed satisfaction in 113 patients post-surgery.
• Patients underwent septoplasty or open septorhinoplasty for nasal obstruction and valve abnormalities.

Main Results:

• CT scans revealed the nasal septum is significantly wider at the internal nasal valve compared to the inferior septum.
• All patients reported satisfaction at 12 weeks post-surgery, regardless of the technique used.
• No significant difference in short-term patient satisfaction was observed between the two surgical approaches.

Conclusions:

• Anatomic findings support surgical consideration of the superior septum, potentially via open septorhinoplasty.
• Short-term outcomes indicate comparable patient satisfaction for open septorhinoplasty and septoplasty.
• Long-term follow-up may reveal differences in patient satisfaction between the techniques.