Are the sinonasal outcome test and nasal obstruction symptom evaluation scale questionnaires suitable for assessing the quality of life after septorhinoplasty? A prospective case-control study

Abstract

In the evaluation after septorhinoplasty (SRP), the surgeon's plan and the patient's expectations may not always be realised. Therefore, in our prospective case-control study, we aimed to investigate whether the Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation Scales (NOSE), which have been validated in different patient populations in Turkish, are appropriate for evaluating SRP cases and their relationship with each other. Preoperative and postoperative data of NOSE and SNOT-22 questionnaires of 125 cases diagnosed with traumatic septum deviation and external nasal deformity and decided to be operated were analyzed. It was calculated that the SNOT-22 score of those with high/low preoperative NOSE scores was also high/low with a 53.6% probability and that the SNOT-22 score of those with high/low postoperative NOSE scores was also high/low with a 69.9% probability, indicating a positive and high-level relationship between postoperative NOSE and SNOT-22 measurements. When the answers given to all questions in SNOT-22 were evaluated separately, it was observed that the most disturbing symptoms of the cases were nasal obstruction at 78.4% and the need to blow the nose at 46.4% in the preoperative period, and nasal obstruction with 64.8% and the need to blow nose with 37.6% in the postoperative period. The most dramatic changes in the answers to SNOT-22 questions were observed in the patient's feelings of frustrated/restless/irritable, sadness, and embrassed. SNOT-22 and NOSE questionnaires can be used interchangeably to evaluate the functional status of patients undergoing SRP surgery.