Can Upper Airway Surgeries Improve Lower Airway Function ? A Prospective Study.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pulmonology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Nasal obstruction, commonly caused by deviated nasal septum and turbinate hypertrophy, increases airway resistance.
• Reduced nasal airflow can negatively impact lung volumes, pulmonary function, and exercise tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of upper airway surgeries (septoplasty, turbinoplasty) on lower airway functions.
• To assess changes in spirometry and 6-minute walking test (6mWt) parameters post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 88 subjects undergoing septoplasty and/or turbinoplasty.
• Spirometry (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR) and 6mWt (SBP, DBP, HR, SpO2) were measured preoperatively and one month postoperatively.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in all four spirometry parameters (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR) post-surgery.
• The 6-minute walking test showed significant improvements in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and oxygen saturation (SpO2), but not in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) or heart rate (HR).
• Improvement in parameters was independent of patient age and symptom duration.

Conclusions:

• Upper airway surgeries like septoplasty and turbinoplasty can positively impact lower airway functions.
• Nasal airway narrowing conditions can compromise pulmonary function and exercise capacity.