Assessment of nasal septoplasty using NOSE and RhinoQoL questionnaires

The objective was to assess outcomes of nasal septoplasty without turbinectomy using validated subjective instruments and to correlate results with patient satisfaction. The prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary referral center. The method included the use of NOSE and RhinoQoL questionnaires to assess patients before and 6 months after Cottle septoplasty without turbinectomy. Patient satisfaction was measured on a visual analog scale. Data were compared by the non-parametric Wilcoxon test. Minimal Clinically Important Differences (MCIDs) were calculated. Correlations between post-operative scores and patient satisfaction were assessed using the Spearman test. Univariate analysis was performed to assess predictors of improvement. One hundred patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 43.4 years and 28% had allergic rhinitis. There was a highly significant improvement in each score at 6 months (p < 0.00001). The MCID for the NOSE was comprised between 5 and 7.5, whereas the mean change was 35.2 points. They ranged from 3.8 to 6.1 for RhinoQoL scores, whereas mean changes were comprised between 12.6 and 20.9. Allergic rhinitis was a predictive factor of less improvement (NOSE p = 0.04-RhinoQoL p = 0.0001). Mean patient satisfaction was 8.2 ± 1.8. Post-operative NOSE and RhinoQoL frequency scores were moderately correlated (r = 0.380; r = 0.356, respectively) whereas bothersomeness and impact scores were highly correlated with patient satisfaction (r = 0.459; r = 0.443, p < 0.00001, respectively). This study shows that the NOSE and RhinoQoL questionnaires can be used in English- and French-speaking populations to perform pre- and post-therapeutic assessment. These validated instruments show that septoplasty without turbinectomy allows management of nasal obstruction and its burden.