The influence of the caudal process on the formation of septal deformities

The aim of the paper was to confirm the variations in the length of the caudal process and its relationship to the skull shape (occipitopetal or frontopetal) in various pathological septal deformities according to Mladina's classification. The length of the caudal process was measured during septal surgery in a group of 46 patients suffering from nasal obstructions caused by septal deformities. Measurements were made with an indirect method: the distance between the lower anterior rim of the pyriform aperture and the deepest point of the caudal process, which could still be surgically prepared, was taken as a function of its length (so called X-value). To establish the skull shape lateral cranial X-rays were made for each patient. Certain types of septal deformities were found to be more frequent in patients with longer caudal processes (type 2 and 5), than in cases when they were shorter (type 1 and 6). Twentyseven out of 46 patients were found to have frontopetal skulls, and X values were smaller than 3 cm. The occipitopetal skull shape was found in 19 patients whose values exceeded 3 cm. Caudal process and the skull shape, therefore, may affect development of particular types of septal deformities. Even more, it can be presumed that the septal response to trauma will depend upon some of these factors.