Function or cosmesis--what is the predominant concern in patients with nasal trauma presenting for rhinoplasty?

To assess whether or not patients receiving rhinoplasties following nasal trauma sought intervention for a functional or cosmetic reason and look at underlying psychosocial influences.

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was performed in the setting of otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinics in the Cambridge University Hospitals. New patients referred to the clinic with nasal deformities secondary to recent trauma were included. To provide a control group, new patients attending for nonrhinological reasons were also asked to complete 2 questionnaires (a study specific one and the SF36). The age range of patients was 21 to 66 years in the control group and 17 to 67 years in the rhinoplasty group.

Patients attending for rhinoplasty were more likely to be male (79% vs 37%, P = .008) and have had previous nasal trauma (relative risk = 2.14, P = .0086) They neither had significantly higher scores for the SF36 or higher alcohol consumption nor were more likely to participate in contact sports than the control group nor did they differ significantly in terms of social class.

This study did not find evidence that posttrauma rhinoplasty patients are anymore introspective and depressed than the normal control population and that function was the predominant concern over cosmesis.