Posttraumatic Nasal Valve Collapse: Is Alar Batten Graft the Answer?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction Posttraumatic nasal valve collapse (NVC) is an underdiagnosed cause of nasal obstruction causing significant symptoms and has been treated by various techniques, the results of which have been variable. In our study, alar batten graft (ABG) has been used to strengthen the nasal wall. Techniques A prospective interventional study was done on 13 patients of posttraumatic NVC using an ABG to reinforce the ala, and results were measured on the basis of standardized nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) and nasal obstruction visual analog scale (NO-VAS) scores at 6 months. Results There was a statistically significant improvement in 12 out of 13 patients, with mean improvement of 25.62 on NOSE and 2.4 on NO-VAS scores. There was a visible improvement in the extent of collapse also. Conclusion Posttraumatic NVC can be treated effectively using ABG, with significant improvement in standard scores as well as the symptomatology. How to cite this article Maggon NV, Sethi A, Das A. Posttraumatic Nasal Valve Collapse: Is Alar Batten Graft the Answer? Clin Rhinol An Int J 2016;9(3):125-129.