Are preoperative CT parameters predictive for the outcome of septoplasty?

Despite successful septoplasty surgery, some patients still complain of nasal obstruction (NO).

Our aim in the present study is to determine whether preoperative computed tomographic (CT) parameters have prognostic significance for the success of septoplasty.

Retrospective data from 61 patients in a secondary care hospital who had undergone septoplasty met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The effects of demographic and preoperative CT parameters (internal nasal valve [INV], external nasal valve area, angle of septal deviation, choana area, aperture pyriformis area, high septal deviation [HSD], transverse diameter of midnose, anterior/posterior deviation, concha and meatus diameter [superior, middle, inferior]) were studied in relation to the change in NOSE scores and the success of surgery.

Of the 61 patients studied, 31 were male (51%) aged 18-55 years with a mean age ± SD (26.59 ± 9.41). It was found that the changes in NOSE scores were significantly different from each other (P < 0.01). Male gender, trauma history, moderate septal deviation, HSD, mucosal pathology, posterior deviation, bullous turbinate (right and left middle, right superior), and in the absence of allergy, paradoxical turbinate (right and left middle and superior), S-shaped deviation were found to have a significant correlation in the change of NOSE scores (P < 0.05). Age and internal valve differed with respect to outcome (P < 0.05). Variables in multiple linear regresion models of all parameters were found to be insignificant (P < 0.05).

Preoperative CT parameters are informative, but do not predict the postoperative success of septoplasty.