SATISFACTION OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING NASAL SEPTOPLASTY FOR SEPTAL DEFORMITY

Objective: To assess the degree of satisfaction of patients submitted to septoplasty based on the disease-specificquality of life questionnaire.Methodology: This prospective, descriptive study was conducted from April 2010 to April 2011 at Benazir BhuttoShaheed Teaching Hospital Abbottabad Pakistan on 256 patients, who underwent septoplasty. Patients were assessedby the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) questionnaire before and 03 months after septoplasty. Patientswere asked to evaluate the severity of their nasal congestion, nasal obstruction, trouble breathing during sleep andtheir difficulty during breathing overall. The severity of their symptoms were recorded based on a scale from 0-4, 0standing for absence of symptom and 4 for severe problem. Probable scores ranged from 0 to 20.Results: Of the 256 patients undergoing septolpasty, 224 subjects (136 male and 88 female) were available for finalassessment. The age range was from 7 to 53 years. Preoperative mean NOSE score was 2.23(+0.956) while 3-monthspostoperative mean NOSE score was 0.60(+0.71) showing a significant decrease in the symptoms (p<0.01). Preoperatively,the NOSE score was ranging from 2-11 in 89 (39.7%) cases and 12-13 in 63 (28.1%). Postoperatively theNOSE score was 0 in 66 (29.5%) patients and 1-2 in 52 (23.2%) patients. In patients with allergic rhinitis, the decreasein mean NOSE score was 43% as compared to non-allergic (70%). Four (1.8%) patients commented that the operationwas unsuccessful.Conclusion: In patients with septal deformity, nasal septoplasty results in significant improvement in disease specificquality of life and high patient satisfaction.Key Words: Septoplasty, Nasal Septum, Nasal Obstruction, Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE ) Scale.