The possible associations of septal deviation on mastoid pneumatization and chronic otitis

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of nasal septal deviation on volume of mastoid air cells and possible relationship to chronic otitis.

Between May 2010 and September 2012, paranasal sinus computed tomographic findings of 825 patients (470 male and 355 female subjects) who were treated in Ear Nose and Throat Department of Bozok University Medical Faculty were retrospectively analyzed. By excluding the other coexistent sinonasal pathologies, 100 patients (45 male and 55 female subjects; mean age, 37.7 ± 10.4 yr; range, 18-70 yr) with nasal septal deviations were recruited for the study. The convex side of the septal curvature was accepted as the direction of deviation. The findings were grouped according to the radiologically measured angle of nasal septal deviations. The deviation angle of the nasal septum was described as follows: mild (<9 degrees), moderate (9-15 degrees), or severe (≥ 15 degrees). The volume of each mastoid air cells was also calculated using the computer program. Chronic otitis was defined a abnormality criteria of the normal temporal scan. Criteria for a normal temporal bone were as follows: 1) absence of bony destruction or sclerosis; 2) absence of fluid or mass in any of the temporal bone air spaces; and 3) the presence of "normal" air cells.

There were 45 male and 55 female subjects (mean age, 37.7 ± 10.4 yr; range, 18-70 yr). Nasal septal deviation angles were found to range between 5 and 28.1 degrees (mean, 14 ± 1.2 degrees). The left-sided deviations included 16 mild (<9 degrees, Group I), 15 moderate (9-15 degrees, Group II), and 17 severe (≥ 15 degrees, Group III) subjects. The right-sided deviations included 18 mild (<9 degrees, Group I), 16 moderate (9-15 degrees, Group II), and 18 severe (≥ 15 degrees, Group III) cases. We could not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the right mastoid cell volumes of the Group I and Group II in left-sided deviation cases (p = 0.51). In the same side comparison of Group I to Group III and Group II to Group III, the mastoid cell volume differences were found to be significantly meaningful (p = 0.00 and p = 0.00, respectively). Identical results were yielded in the right-sided septal deviation group related to the mastoid cell volumes of Group I and Group II and Group I to Group III and Group II to Group III comparisons (p = 0.55, p = 0.00, and p = 0.011, respectively). In both right and left deviation groups, ipsilateral and contralateral mastoid cell volume comparisons produced statistically significant results (p = 0.04 and p = 0.003, respectively). The presence of chronic otitis findings were significantly increased in both groups (p = 0.00). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Our findings suggest that mastoid cell volumes tend to be larger at the contralateral side of the severe septum deviations.